What Doesn't Kill You
by chewing.on.PEARLS
Summary: A suicide mission has left Sakura to a fatal disease that assures her death within the next year as well as a child she cannot support. She has accepted it, but the Akatsuki and their leader have other plans. "You know what they say about what doesn't kill you, Pinky..." Sakura gulps, suddenly wishing she were dead. HidanxSaku (M for language, lemons, & adult themes)
1. Prologue

**A/N:** Hey, y'all! This is my new HidanxSakura story that's been tumbling around in my head since high school! It has been around 5 years since I've updated or posted ANYTHING here, so please bear with me! I'm not exactly sure where I would put this on the timeline of the anime and manga, but let's just say it is before the Fourth Shinobi War (though the characters will be around 19-20, so it just hasn't happened yet). For fun times, the majority of the Akatsuki is alive, save for Itachi and Sasori. I really hope y'all like it! Let me know what you think ^_^

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own any of these characters (apart from the OCs that will be pretty obvious).

ENJOY!

* * *

 **What Doesn't Kill You**

 **Prologue**

 _2 Months Prior_

The past month has been brutal. It grows harder and harder for Haruno Sakura to even stand, but today it is especially difficult. She clutches the side of the chair between her fingers as her knuckles turn white from the grip. It is disgustingly white about the knuckles since her skin has already become a ghastly shade of alabaster. Her hand trembles as she makes a fist around the chair, but at least she is able to make a fist. She is surprised that her hand still has that much strength in it, but that thought is pushed to the back of her mind as she realizes that her knees will buckle beneath her at any moment.

Before she is able to topple to the ground—or better yet, pass out—strong arms cradle her shoulders and hoist her from the chair. Worried blue eyes gaze down at her and she smiles to reassure them, but to no avail. As Sakura grows weaker, his eyes lose all hope. She wonders why she even tries to smile at him anymore.

"Thanks, Naru," she whispers. He is not looking her in the eye anymore, keeping a firm grasp on her arm to steady her. He only looks down now, stares at the horrifying protruding bump below her breasts. Sakura's free arm reaches out to cover it self-consciously—but one cannot hide or deny what has already been seen.

His eyes do not darken like the others' do when their gazes settle on her stomach; rather, unbeknownst to him, they brighten. It is her face and sickly body that makes him uneasy. Nevertheless, Naruto is rarely away from her side. Ino was right. Naruto would be the perfect father in her absence.

Her hand reaches out to touch his cheek and force him to look away from her stomach. "Naruto," she prods.

Whatever daze he was previously in, he snaps out of, and looks at her as if he has just woken from a long dream. "The council loves the cure. They've decided to officially allocate it into the system."

A breath of relief flows from the pinkette and a true smile slips softly against her lips. "Good," she whispers. "Now no one will have to live like me." He is at least able to smile at that, but it only lasts as long as it takes him to realize that the "like me" means Sakura's unfortunate and untimely end.

Sakura looks down at her stomach—the hand that at first was intended to hide her stomach now caressing it as she is reminded that this baby is a gift, not a curse. She smiles sadly. "Not even you."

* * *

 _9 Months Prior_

"What do you mean you want to keep him?"

The look on Ino's face is truly one of fury and resentment. Sakura cannot remember a time when Ino's burning gaze has ever been aimed at her so pointedly, that her loose grip on control has been ever so apparent. Wondering if she should follow protocol and detain Ino before she loses all sense that the "horrible excuse for life" within Sakura is actually still a part of her friend, Sakura crosses her arms stubbornly and mirrors the look on the blonde's face—to a more subtle extent, naturally.

"Exactly that," Sakura says. "I mean to keep him. I'm not giving him up, Ino."

A look of pity flashes through Ino's cerulean watch before anger wins out again. "Sakura, if you don't abort him now, you will _die_ ," she says with finality and tact.

Apparently, trying to scare the Haruno is the only way to get through to her, or so they thought when they first considered bringing Sasuke in to talk to her with his canny negligence towards others' feelings.

Next, they brought in Naruto, trying their best to _guilt_ Sakura into aborting the child, followed by Tsunade and Shizune who listed off the dire consequences of her choice, medically. Of course, this was truly a last resort decision since Sakura's prowess in the medical field had already led her to such conclusions at conception of the child.

And now, here Ino stands, trying her best to scream and yell Sakura into changing her mind from her fatal decision. They know Sakura's mind won't change at this point. But it is worth the try.

"I'm going to die anyway, Ino. It's all a matter of when," says Sakura serenely, and Ino makes it a point that Sakura sees her rolling her eyes.

"I think I speak for everyone when I say I'd choose you dying later rather than sooner."

"Well, too bad it's not your choice, then." Her words are icier than she had meant for them to be, but it matters little. She watches as Ino's face begins to twist and contort into something that resembles indignation and hurt, but it is only for a few seconds.

"You're a selfish bitch."

Sakura shakes her head at her friend's close-minded nature and walks out of the room. The room is suffocating and filled with the harsh and close-minded opinions of her friends, and said opinions do well at exhausting her. She doesn't care if Ino still has more to say, because no one will be able to change her mind. The pinkette notices that Ino has not even tried to follow because she knows that her efforts are fruitless, too. Everyone knows, but they use denial to cope with it in place of acceptance.

Her illness has left her quarantined to the top floor of the hospital, where only the most infected are allowed roaming privileges. The walls are a stark white and there are no pictures anywhere. The few windows in the commons area that let in the daytime light only make the walls look whiter, and Sakura wonders why they even put the teasing little windows there in the first place. They only depress the patients more. Most of them will never be able to _feel_ the daylight sun ever again. She is one of the lucky ones—she is able to _see_ it, able to walk to the commons area, when in reality, most of the patients are kept in their rooms. But does that make her lucky, or unlucky—that the sunlight is able to tempt her?

She used to be allowed out when they were testing her back when she returned from her mission. She had already diagnosed her disease as something akin to AIDS, but it was stronger and even more malignant. It has not even been two months since she returned, and she has noticed a drop in her chakra reserves from 100 percent, to about 70, with no exertion, whether it be from exercise or meditation. Fifteen percentages less, and she will be at the same level as most healthy civilians—thirty less and she will not be able to leave her bed without a wheel chair. Fifty less, and she'll be dead. Her captor knew what he was doing.

It is taking every last piece of will she has left to have this baby. She has encased it in enough chakra to ensure a healthy growth and birth, sacrificing a few months of her own life in return. Her hand reaches down to her belly as she takes a seat in one of the soft chairs in the commons. The room is empty save for one doctor who smiles at her with pity as he makes his way through. Sakura smiles back emptily, for the most part ignoring him when he says 'good morning', before looking back down to her stomach.

She loves her baby more than anything, and she hasn't even met him yet. While she understands her friends' hate for him, she realizes that they do not understand the thin line between hating that she was put in this situation, and hating the product of it.

Sakura finds it hard to swing a word like 'hate' around without even knowing a person, but her friends find it very simple. She rarely uses the word 'hate' herself; a ninja does not need it to kill. For a long time she only used hate for mostly abstract things: she hates weakness, and she hates the lack of hope in people's eyes during war. She hates loveless beings, and she hates sour snacks. She hates rain and missing her friends and the screeching noise a chalkboard makes when one scratches it.

She hates _him_.

No, it is not the fact that he beat her until she was seeing things and brutally raped her and is ultimately the cause of her death.

It is the fact that he has impregnated her with a child that already has lost the respect of his soon-to-be peers. It is the fact that his actions breed so much _hate_ and ugliness throughout the village and subject her to a sad sight. It is the fact that she could not kill _him_ , before he got to all of them.

It is the sound of wood splintering that brings her from her dark reverie. The poor chair she has been sitting in made the unavoidable mistake of having wooden arms. She turns her palm to her face, checking to see if she broke the skin; an ugly situation that would end in the destruction of this chair by focused men in thick, protective suits.

Tests have proven her illness to be contagious and contractible through the mixture of blood. Ergo, she cannot bleed anywhere near others.

Ino looks tired and worn when she comes face to face with Sakura again, and Sakura notices that the blonde could be mistaken for someone, who like herself, is quarantined to this floor.

She crosses her arms angrily and stares down at Sakura as if she is a child that has done something wrong, and her petite fingers hold steady to her mesh sleeves. Sakura suddenly wishes she had a reason to wear anything other than sweats on a daily basis.

"If you're going to have the child, you should _at least_ give it to Naruto," she says as if their conversation had never ended in the first place. Her blue eyes want to be wild, but she has trained herself to be less temperamental in the last five minutes.

Sakura's face drops. Ino has mentioned her fears, and it is weird and even more frightening hearing it actually come from someone else's mouth. "Ino…I can't do that."

"Why not? If anyone understands what that baby's going to go through, it's Naruto," she reasons. "Besides, you and Naruto have been dating for years now. I'm surprised he hasn't asked your hand in marriage yet. It wouldn't make sense giving that child up to someone else."

"But, _Naruto_ , Ino? Since when can that boy even take care of _himself_?" Naruto is a kid. Strong, powerful, and accomplished, but a kid nonetheless. Asking Naruto to take care of her newborn child in her absence seems so selfish to Sakura. Naruto is only twenty. He has the rest of his _life_ to live, and who is she to burden him with a child at this point in his life?

"It might not be the most practical option right now, Sakura, but Naruto has done more growing up in the past couple months than you will ever know," says the blonde softly, shaking her head back and forth solemnly. Sakura knows she is talking about what Naruto has been through since she was rescued from her captor. One cannot imagine the anger and fear one feels when raped without having it done to them, but seeing Naruto act out in such an aggressive and rage-filled manner hurt Sakura even more than the raping itself. Sakura would be raped by the same sick man a hundred times more if she didn't have to see Naruto like that ever again.

His eyes had been so dark, no longer the hopeful cerulean that she has come to know. His body was scalding to the touch; it has to be very dangerous to be that warm. It reminds Sakura of the time she had first seen the nine-tailed fox in Naruto; reminds her of feeling helpless and scared as Naruto tried to destroy everything in his path, even _her_.

The way Naruto looked when she entered the village in Kakashi's arms frightened her. She had thought he would go off like he did before and this time he _would_ succeed in killing everyone. Sakura cannot bear to see Naruto like that ever again.

"He won't say no to you. He'll do it, Sakura," assures Ino.

Sakura sighs before massaging the bridge of her nose. "That's the problem, Ino, it's not fair."

How can Sakura ask him to do such a thing? To take care of a child that is hers but not _his_. To love a child that is the son of her murderer, the man that raped her. It wouldn't be right.

Ino looks desperately as if she is trying to hold something in now. Her hands are clenched at her side and her lips quivering. "Not fair…" she says as if mentally she is someplace far away. Her voice is strained when she talks and Sakura fears that she is witnessing a ticking time bomb readying to explode. "Not _fair_?" she repeats, her voice low. "And you being raped and beaten _is_?"

Ino looks breathless, tired, and broken, and Sakura finds herself worried for her friend's predicament. Of course, that, Ino would argue, is the problem. Sakura's curse is to put others' needs first. She never plays the victim, even when she needs to just sit back and be it for once.

Sakura closes her eyes, remembering first that she is shinobi. "I take full blame. I am the one that decided to take on such a mountainous task in the first place, when I should've fully understood I was not at that level yet." It was a ten to one battle, and she had put herself in the situation. There is no way she _can't_ take the blame.

And there is the pity look again. But this time, it seems so well-placed plastered on her distraught friend's face. This pity, Sakura can handle. Ino has listened to all the dirty details, all the cries to save Sakura, all the troubles. She stands by Sakura and stays strong and has not cried once yet.

Ino's pity is interlaced with a thick layer of fear and sadness that Sakura has yet to see in her friend in the past few months. Everything has been so controlled, locked in the usually emotional girl's tough hide. Sakura is at the very least relieved that her closest friend has come back to her.

"Full _blame_?" she chokes, and it takes the girl's everything to keep her voice from shaking, to keep the tears from falling down her sun-kissed face. She takes a moment to recollect herself before stepping closer and staring Sakura right in the eyes.

Ino smells of the outdoors and Sakura is reminded again that Ino will never _truly_ understand her predicament. "I was not—"

"You were not strong enough?" finishes Ino, raising her eyebrow dangerously, as if she is testing Sakura, just daring her to say another word. "God, Sakura, give it a fucking rest! You blame yourself for being brutally raped? You do something for all of Konoha, save innocent people, kill over half of their league _singlehandedly,_ and it's still not enough for you."

Sakura is at a loss for words, but her gaze is still steady, and she prides herself in not being as emotional as she once was. She would not be able to survive under such circumstances, after all.

"You're a _hero_ , Sakura. And you can't doubt your strength anymore; you are stronger than _any_ kunoichi I know," continues her friend, glaring at her with determination. "Naruto will understand. He sees everything in you and that baby," she says, gesturing to her friend's stomach with those eyes. The same eyes that everyone gives her stomach when they realize something's living in there that will kill her eventually.

Everyone but Naruto.

Sakura falters as she recognizes that Ino is probably right. This is Ino's chance to swoop in as she notices that her pink-haired friend no longer has her guard up. Her blue gaze softens.

"You know no one can take care of that baby like Naruto can," she says sweetly, grabbing her friend's drooping shoulders. "He's the only one that will understand him."

Sakura no longer knew what to say. Ino had won.

And so Naruto would have him.

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 **A/N:** Welp! There's the prologue! Pretty short, but I promise the next chapter will be a lot longer! Please remember to **REVIEW** and let me know what you think!


	2. Resolve

**A/N:** Hey, y'all! Got another update for you and I truthfully hope you like it. There will be some _~lemonesque~_ type material in this chapter between Naruto and Sakura, but nothing too deep or crazy! Barely even a few sentences! You'll know when you get there! Anyway, enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto!

* * *

 **Chapter One: Resolve**

Present

He has been sitting there for awhile. He rarely looks at her, but when he does, there is something in his eyes that she has never seen before—something that makes the little genin inside her bubbly and happy, that brings her back to the past and soothes her.

That's the only reason they let him in anymore. Apart from the qualms that the young nurses have with turning anyone so handsome-looking away, he makes her happy. Her health never declines when he's around.

A smile slips onto her lips, her eyes still shut tight in her feigned slumber. "Sasuke." She does not wait for him to answer, instead a little disappointed that she does not feel a change in his chakra signature at being caught by surprise. "How long are you going to sit here and watch me die?"

Her eyes open gently and there is an agitated look—a small quirk of the eyebrow, the slight downturn of one side of his pink lips—on the Uchiha's face. As if he is much more content with watching her sleep than seeing her dull, green eyes open to greet him.

He is quiet for a moment before his face neutralizes. He cannot help it. It is something about watching the little, annoying, pink-haired girl that was so full of gusto and pride not even a year ago change into a demure, broken creature with slight smiles and pale features. It is something about that beautiful woman sacrificing herself on a lone S-class mission and being impregnated by a rapist. It is _something_ about that rape-victim smiling, and joking, and acting like _everything's okay_ that bugs Sasuke to no end.

"I suppose until you are dead," he replies evenly.

Anyone else would be upset with his choice of words, but Sakura nearly laughs. It seems that Sakura's humor has become a bit twisted since the absence of her health. She tries her best to contain her giggles as his stare only becomes angrier and angrier.

At first, she is surprised he is even here. She has always seen him as the type to completely ignore a comrade so close to death so he wouldn't be present when she actually died, so no one could see his true emotions.

But now, she can almost feel it. His usually suave conduct and his generally opaque outer-self that never lets anyone in is cracked and the true dissatisfaction and helplessness locked beneath is finding its way out through tense silences and hardened gazes and harsh grips on the chair he's sitting in. Even as powerful as he is, even after defeating Itachi and returning to the village, he cannot save her.

"They say you'll last three more months." He looks at her squarely. "How long do you really have?" he questions curtly.

She smiles and holds up her life supports—around five or six chords tying her down to some beeping contraption. "On this, I have four months left." She then points to her heart. "But on this, I have only a month."

He raises an eyebrow and leans forward, balancing his elbows on his knees and squeezing his hands together. The alabaster shade that his knuckles take on is equivalent in color to that of her skin.

"You intend to die earlier than planned?" His voice is more inquisitive than angry, but only a glance in Sasuke's direction and she is proven wrong. His eyes sear hotly into hers.

She shakes her head with a sad smile and talks in a soft voice. With her luck, Naruto would come in right as she is practically admitting to Sasuke that her will to live is lost. "What's the point, Sasuke?" she asks weakly. He is silent. "I'm in a lot more pain than I let on, you know."

"But you're also a lot stronger than you let on." He looks at her straight on. "You're suppressing your chakra signature."

She rolls her eyes and looks out the window. They never give up, and sometimes it makes her feel like she hasn't given up either. "So they'll finally leave me alone. I'm done, Sasuke. I've turned in my mission papers, and I've seen my son. _I'm done_ ," she says with finality. "You just remember your promise," she adds lowly.

Sakura can feel his eyes burning into the back of her head. She contemplates flaring her chakra resolutely, but she does not see the use. They will _never_ give up hope. The Will of Fire is much too strong for that.

Sakura hears the scraping of wood against the hard, white floors and knows that Sasuke is standing up and taking his leave. He wordlessly does so, and as he exits, another person enters. The pinkette sighs. She does not think she can take another plead for her health to improve, as if she has a choice.

"What's the matter with _him_?" The clicking of heels against the floor lets Sakura know that it is her shishou that has entered, and she glances over at her to see confused hazel eyes and a sleeping baby cradled in her arms.

Sakura's face instantly brightens and she holds out her arms as the infant is placed gently against her. Sleepy sea-foam green eyes open before closing again and Sakura kisses the baby's forehead.

"What _isn't_ the matter with him?" she replies as the Hokage takes a seat in front of her. Sakura begins to finger the dirty blonde wisps of hair that have begun to grow on the one-month old newborn's head. Suddenly, the picture of Sasuke's disappointed features enters her mind.

"He gets so mad at me," she murmurs after awhile, as the baby begins to fall asleep in her arms, her eyebrows knitting together with frustration.

Tsunade is quiet for awhile and then she reaches out and sends her hands through her apprentice's knotted and thinning pink locks, looking at her apprentice carefully. "We're all going to miss you, Sakura. We just have different ways of showing it." The blonde's voice is low and filled with understanding and then she stands and looks over Sakura's clipboard. "Did he tell you that he got the vaccine yesterday?"

Sakura finally looks up at her shishou. "I didn't even get to ask," she says. "Any side-effects?"

Tsunade chews thoughtfully on a pen as she eyes a new add-on to Sakura's clipboard and then shakes her head back and forth. "Just the normal: a little nausea and achiness. But no fever," she answers before narrowing her eyes and correcting something furiously on the board.

Sakura gazes worriedly at her child. "Then why did Narake get so sick?" Narake was the first to receive the serum right after her and right before Naruto. They had received the one straight from her blood; that is, the prototypes before clones of it were made to give to the rest of the population. She had already been exhausted from having him so sleeping soundly for the next couple days was expected of her, but Narake contracted a fever and cough that had him up the whole night.

Tsunade smiles as she puts down the clipboard. "Sakura, Narake's a baby. His immune system is a lot weaker than Sasuke's." Tsunade's smile turns more solemn as she watches her apprentice worry over her baby, worry over everything _but_ herself.

She sighs and leans over, plucking the baby from the girl's pale arms and rocking him in her arms. "Listen, they're going to let you go home. So you can be comfortable." Tsunade ignores the humorless snort that exits her apprentice's mouth. Tsunade has conveniently left out that the staff at the hospital has finally come to terms with the fact that there is no hope for Sakura.

Tsunade rubs Narake's back soothingly and then smiles at Sakura. "I'll get your things."

* * *

It has been a long time since Sakura has taken a shower in her own bathroom and she is surprised her plumbing even still works, especially since she had been living in and out of Naruto's apartment for the duration of her time before the mission.

Dull green eyes gaze down at her body. In the hospital, her thin, white body fit in, but here, in her home, it almost seems out of place. She sighs, rubbing her hands over her face, through her wet hair. She's so tired. So _very_ tired. And she wonders vaguely if it's okay that all she wants to do is sleep forever…

Her eyes snap open and she takes a sharp intake of breath as she feels calloused fingers ghost across her back and then land lightly on her bony hips. Goosebumps arise as tanned arms encircle her tiny waist and butterfly kisses press at the nape of her neck.

 _Naruto…_ her mind finally processes. His stealthy appearance did not frighten her as much as her inability to sense what's coming anymore.

And then she feels the urge to cry. Because she knows; she can feel the longing in his fingers, the way they grip on to her hips. He still wants her. Even when she looks like this.

She turns around in his arms, nevertheless, her nose scraping against his collarbone. She rests her head against his chest, closing her eyes and listening to his rhythmic heartbeat. It's so strong and steady and she fights the desire to listen to it forever.

"Sakura…" Her name on his lips is sweet, yearning. She looks steadily into his eyes and notices that his hair has become damp not from the water from the shower, but from the steam in the air. The blonde spikes fall into heated, blue eyes—sharp and watchful, like pools of blue lava—and rest against perfectly tanned cheeks and a strong jaw line, the three whisker-like lines on each cheek only adding to the fierceness of his features. Two pink lips smile tenderly at Sakura.

He's simply gorgeous.

And Sakura is pale, bony, weak.

 _She_ cannot stand to look at herself in the mirror, it's a wonder that he can even still hold onto her without grimacing.

But that look in his eye. As if she is the only one that matters, as if she is the only one that _exists_. He wants Sakura, and Sakura _only_.

His lips hungrily attach onto hers and, regardless of her embarrassment, she cannot deny him. Despite his aggressive approach, Sakura nearly collapses at the sweetness of his kiss. The tender way in which he nips at her lips makes her purr and he pulls away from the kiss slowly—much to her chagrin.

He caresses her cheek with a calloused hand and sends his thumb ghosting over her bottom lip. Sakura self-consciously looks away.

"Sakura, please…don't be like that," he pleads, trying to look her in the eye. "You're beautiful. You'll always be beautiful to me," he says, practically reading the pinkette's mind. She finally dares to look back into his eyes, just in time for him to give her his trademark smile. "I love you."

Her eyebrows furrow. "I love you, too," she is able to whisper just as he cups her cheeks and pulls her into another mind-blowing kiss. He kisses her softly, and she has forgotten anything human could be so soft. His kisses lead to wandering hands, and his wandering hands, to her delighted moans.

Sakura is filled with warmth as the two move rhythmically against each other, as the two whisper sweet words into the other's ears, as she floats in ecstasy only to be brought back down to an Earth with Naruto that might as well be heaven, as they lay and bask in the afterglow of their love.

"I've missed this…holding you like this," he whispers, his hands rubbing up and down her bare back. The ceiling fan is the only noise that can be heard along with the two's soft, steady breathing.

"I've missed this, too," admits Sakura after awhile, frightened in her feelings. Feelings that she thought had moved on as she came to accept her fate. Feelings she realizes never left. Feelings that make her angry. "I _will_ miss this…" she adds, cradling his face in her hands and looking into his eyes.

He scoffs. "Easy enough for you to say. You're not the one who has to live without you," he murmurs before closing his eyes, his breath leaving his lips in a way that makes her believe that he has fallen asleep. Her eyebrows furrow at his words as she lies back against his chest with a sigh.

And, when he thinks she isn't listening, when he thinks she has fallen asleep, he cries. He doesn't know that she's heard him, but she has. She has never seen someone so sad, so angry at _himself_ for something that was so clearly out of his hands.

Sakura will never forget that night. The night that Sakura became a coward, realized she wanted to stay. The night that she realized she doesn't want to die; she wants to stay here with Naruto and raise Narake. The ANBU within her is strong, however. She fingers the red design on her arm when she feels herself reverting to her old, genin-like ways. She cannot stay here with Naruto and raise Narake. It is clearly just not an option.

And when she becomes stronger in her resolve, she snuggles back into Naruto, feigns sleep, and listens to him cry with stony features.

* * *

It's the middle of the night and the air is still. Sakura yearns to hear the crickets chirping, the sound of a bird cooing gently into the wintery night air, anything. She yearns to hear _anything_ but his crying.

He cries more often now, and every time he does, Sakura's heart breaks for him. Sometimes he'll have a dream and awake with a start, checking if she is asleep, and then start weeping softly until he has tired himself out. But she has had enough. She can't take it anymore—the slow, steady sobs; slowly and _steadily_ tearing her apart.

"Naruto," she whispers through the darkness. His muffled sobs come to a halt as if he has been caught by surprise. She leans over, kissing his neck, laying a hand on the arm that is facing upward in his side-ways laying state, and ruffling her other hand through his blonde hair.

"Talk to me," she continues. "Tell me what's the matter." Her voice is soft, reassuring, as if she is talking to a wounded and scared animal.

He is quiet at first—something that frightens Sakura a little. "Why?" he questions hoarsely. "You know what's the matter," he says, still facing away from her.

"I know," she says, nodding, and he finally turns around, wetness about his cheeks shining in the moonlight. Astonished, blue eyes search her face as he notices a tear sliding down her own cheek. "Just talk to me. Please."

The silence that follows worries Sakura and then Naruto leans forward and kisses her warmly on the lips, kissing her tears away, kissing a trail down her snow white body until he reaches her stomach where he wraps his arms around her middle and rests his head on her belly.

"Sakura," he murmurs and he hears her purr in response. "I've worked all my life to have you. And it feels like I finally get you and you're being torn away from me. I'm trying. I'm trying so hard to let you go, but…" She gently massages his scalp as he talks to her, her eyebrows furrowing with remorse.

"It's just…not fair," he whispers through gritted teeth, and she can feel him shaking; hot, angry tears dampening her stomach.

And now she is quiet, because there's nothing more to say. He is right; it's unfair, and it's awful. She quickly bites her lip, forcing herself not to cry, not to let go of her resolve.

"I just love you so much, Sakura." He hugs her closer. "I love you so much and this happened to you. I wasn't there when you needed me…I let this happen to you."

Sakura's eyes widen slightly as she swallows, still silent, still unable to say a word lest her voice comes out weaker than she wants it to. Now the truth comes out. All this time, this _whole_ time, he has been blaming himself. Sakura always thought it was a possibility that Naruto would let this come back to him—it was in his nature to be the protector of all his friends—but she never expected him to hold it in for so long, to finally vocalize it through muffled tears mere weeks before she would die.

It must have been killing him this whole time. Watching her wither away, and for once there was no way for him to save her. Watching her bear a child—a child that _isn't his_ —her weak form giving out on her daily, and he not able to ease the pain. It must have hurt him, _physically_ hurt him to watch her every day, knowing that there was no way to cheat death this time around.

She sits up, hugging him into her stomach as his cries become more desperate, as he clings to her as if she'll disappear if he lets go. She rubs his back consolingly and rocks him back and forth, but it is only when she calmly shushes him and whispers hushed 'I love you's into his ear that he finally quiets.

His eyes are closed, his head resting in her lap as she continues to stroke his back.

"I'm so sorry," he says so softly she can barely hear it.

She shushes him again, tenderly stroking his scalp. "It's not your fault. You shouldn't take the blame for everything, Naruto."

"I could've…" he murmurs, trailing off.

"No," she answers, shaking her head. "I wouldn't have let you come with me, Naruto. I wouldn't have wanted your help." She leans forward kissing his forehead. "I love you so much. I wouldn't have put you in harm's way like that." She gently rocks him some more. "I love you so, so much," she repeats, closing her own eyes and leaning her head down into the crook of his neck to inhale his scent.

She cannot believe it has come to this. The coward in her is rearing its ugly head, suffocating her will to let things be as they are. But Naruto is her everything. And she refuses to let him suffer because of her decisions.

The distant sound of a lone bird is heard chirping a solemn song in the distance.

Spring is near.

* * *

The quiet, icy village of Konoha seems to spring to life when the sun rises, dulling and melting the frost from the window sill and playing with the chilly dew that paints the newly green grass. Sea-foam green eyes stare longingly at the scene, their owner hoping to live at least until she's twenty—hoping to witness just one more Konoha spring.

Shrill cries fill the ears of the pink-haired ANBU, and at first concerned, Sakura releases a relieved breath after realizing that it is Narake and not Naruto this time. As if on cue, Naruto enters the room with her bouncing, baby boy in his arms, the green-eyed infant still little more than an arm baby.

"Alright, alright already!" mumbles the blonde irritably as he places the sobbing baby into his mother's arms and Sakura giggles at her lover's childishness. The baby quiets as soon as he is placed into Sakura's slender arms and Naruto groans to himself. "Favoritism at its best," he huffs, crossing his arms.

She gingerly rubs the baby's back shrugging as Narake looks up at her with curious, green eyes. "Mother's touch," she whispers, smiling at Narake. "When do you leave for your mission?"

Naruto instantly silences, tensing as his blue gaze hardens and locks with the wall. His lip trembles, as if he wants to snarl, wants to say something, but he doesn't. Pink brows knit together in quiet concern. Sakura knows that face—that determined look in his eye, he's meaning to stay with her at all costs.

"Naruto…" she starts, but he cuts her off with one short outburst.

"Dammit, Sakura, how long do you have left anyway?" he snaps. She hesitates—feeling a slight sting at his bluntness—before her trained features return to their previous calm.

She isn't going to lie to him, not anymore. "About a week," she says softly, her fingers twirling in her son's smooth dirty blonde hair.

Naruto shakes his head. "I'll get the mission off. I need to stay with you."

She scoffs, rolling her pretty, green eyes. "And you think the council will allow that?" He is silent again, his eyes traveling down to the floor in thought. "You're too important, Naruto. The missions they give you…" She shakes her head, "No one else could even think to complete them. You're not thinking straight."

His hands clench firmly together, seeking to grip around something. "Of course, I'm not thinking straight," he says, his voice thick with vehemence. Rage rolls off of him in waves and Sakura can almost feel heat permeating her body—his powerful chakra, it had to be it—surrounding her, choking her out. "How am I supposed to think straight when—"

"Don't, Naruto," she interrupts firmly, eyes a steely turquoise. "Don't let them send someone like me. Don't you let them send someone who is not ready for that mission because you want to stay here." His eyes soften, and his fists loosen as they fall and dangle by his sides. Her stoic green gaze doesn't waver. "Now I will try with all my might to wait for you, Naru, but you have to complete your mission. Konoha needs you. Narake and I…we will be waiting for you to return."

He falters at her words at first, his blue eyes growing wary, but then a spirited look washes over his features, completely replacing his previous concerned façade. He nods. "Right!" he says resolutely, before turning around and beginning to walk out of the room.

"Naruto," she calls abruptly, as if she hadn't meant to say it, as if she had been struggling to hold it in and lost the battle. He turns back around to look into miserable mint-green orbs. Pink eyebrows furrow and trembling, rosy lips search for words. Sakura's nose is twitching as if she means to shed tears. Naruto has not seen Sakura cry much lately. There was a time when she was younger and she used to cry all the time, and then she just stopped one day, said she was sick and tired of being weak, said she was ready to become true shinobi. It has been a long time since Naruto has seen this face, and all he wants to do is run back into her arms, comfort her, tell her everything will be alright as he would tell the old Sakura.

"I love you," she says, her voice heavy with tears and his heart instantly clenches as he runs over to her and kneels at the bed, his nose reaching her lips. He extends his hand to stroke her prominent cheekbones and kisses her tenderly.

"I love you, too, Sakura." He realizes she must be at the end. For Sakura to break down like this and finally cry right in front of him…it must be the end. He looks down at Narake, now fast asleep in his mother's arms and kisses the top of his head. This is all that will be left of his beautiful Sakura, her legacy—while soiled to others—in this beautiful, little child that looks and acts just like Sakura even at the tender age of two months. "Promise me you'll be here," he pleads weakly, leaning his forehead on hers.

He wants to hear the empty promises, even though he knows now that they are just that, empty. He closes his eyes to make it sound more realistic and she closes her eyes as well, a small whimper exiting her mouth as she resists her tears, and biting her lip to crush the dreadful sobs that want to break right through her lips.

She takes awhile, forcing her voice to present itself without cracking. She furrows her eyebrows and grits her teeth. "I'll be waiting for you, Naruto," she says barely above a whisper, but it is strong, in her shinobi voice. "I promise."

And with that he kisses her and takes his leave.

In all her years, it has never been so hard for her to make a promise she can't keep.

* * *

Large hands wipe sweat from a browned forehead tiredly, the owner of said hand grunting brusquely and impatiently at his furious teammate. Though the weather is cool, having to wear such a heavy cloak while executing difficult jutsu has left him a little drained—not to mention the restraint he has to maintain in order to not _maim_ his teammate. Green eyes narrow at the silver-haired madman as he searches furiously for his lost trinket—it is a _miracle_ they've found most of his _body parts_ , now they are wasting precious time rummaging around in dirt to find a useless necklace. Kakuzu contemplates cutting his teammate down and burying him again just to rid himself of this nuisance, but then remembers that he will be left with Kisame, and the blue-skinned Akatsuki member only proves to annoy him more than the grey-haired one.

 _I could kill him, too_ , thinks the tall man darkly to himself.

"Enough, Hidan," his voice booms over the violet-eyed member's curses and cries to Jashin, but he doesn't stop. "We are wasting too much time."

Hidan heaves a rock out of the way in his manic search, not even flinching when it makes a loud noise when making contact with a tree. Kakuzu tenses, glaring harshly at the now trembling tree. "Listen, I ain't fuckin' leaving without it," retorts Hidan fiercely.

"We have orders to be back at the base in two days," says Kakuzu sternly, monotonously. "Leader will not be amused if we are late."

Hidan pauses, glaring over his shoulder at his brown teammate. "The fucker left me in a hole to rot! Why would I give a fuck about him?" he questions, returning his attention to his search.

Kakuzu is silent for awhile, merely glaring thoughtfully at his teammate, but his tense stillness goes unnoticed by the violet-eyed ninja. "You do not understand," he says stiffly.

"No, I _do not_ care," he replies, before sending another good-sized rock into the tree.

"Keep it down, you fool!" scolds Kakuzu ferociously. He is ready to remind his dim-witted friend that they are deep within Fire Country, and not too far from Konoha where there could possibly be nin scouting the area when a blue flash enters his peripheral vision. Kakuzu stares at the blue-haired, smirking ex-Mist-nin as he walks towards Hidan.

He dangles a long, beaded trinket between his large fingers. "You better be fucking happy," he says slyly, tossing the necklace Hidan's way and flashing a devilish grin that shows his sharp teeth.

A psychotic, albeit relieved smile etches its way across Hidan's face as he catches the necklace in both hands as if it is his child. "Thank Jashin!" he shouts, startling a few birds out of the trees.

Kakuzu has to keep himself from cracking Hidan's newly attached neck in half. "Stop yelling, Hidan," he commands in a harsh, raspy tone, searching around to assure himself that no deer were close enough to hear the commotion. "Need I remind you that we are in Nara territory?"

Hidan grunts. "Oh, yeah, that's the little fucker's name," he says, examining his necklace to make sure there are no scratches. "I can't wait to fucking kill him," he growls, draping it gingerly over his head and around his neck.

"No," says Kakuzu tersely. "We will _not_ be killing any Konoha nin. Leader's orders."

Hidan crosses his arms stubbornly over his chest. "How the fuck are we not suppose to hurt anyone when they're all trying to protect the Kyuubi?"

Kakuzu seethes. How many fucking times does he have to remind him? "For the last time…" Kakuzu starts, his voice beginning to rise with each word. He grits his teeth, gripping his cloak tight enough to rip a hole in it. "Just do as I say, Hidan, I can't have you fucking it all up." Green eyes flicker dangerously in the shark-like man's direction. "Kisame."

Kisame grins, putting his beloved sword back in its place. "Samehada doesn't sense any Leaf chakra for kilometers out. It should be pretty smooth sailing."

Kakuzu does nothing to show that he approves of what Kisame has said or not, digging deftly into his pockets and retrieving a small box. He tosses it at Hidan. "Soldier pills," he murmurs as he notices the silver-haired man's questioning features. "You'll die again if you don't eat something." Kakuzu begins to walk away, Kisame in tow. Hidan watches his partner retreat, before popping a few pills in his mouth and standing up to follow.

"Well, there's no use remembering the person's name now…" mumbles Hidan to himself as he sheathes his weapon. "What does the target look like again?"

Kakuzu's jaw clenches. He is sick and tired of having to put up with Hidan's carelessness when the mission is so damn important. He considers not responding to the violet-eyed nin at all, but relents when he realizes it might at least shut him up.

"She has pink hair."

* * *

 **A/N:** And so the plot finally thickens! Hope y'all enjoyed the chapter! And notice that I made the SakuxNaru _~sexy~_ scenes pretty mild. They're cute and all but all the fun stuff will be reserved for the main couple! I would love to hear some feedback from y'all!

Until next time :)


	3. Revival

**A/N:** Hey, everyone! I have another update for you! So just to answer a question from an anon reviewer: NO, Sakura does not have AIDS! The only reason it was mentioned was to compare the malignant and debilitating nature of the two diseases: AIDS and the one that Sakura has been infected with in this story! It has not been named, and unlike AIDS, Sakura has made a vaccine for this disease, although it seems it might be too late for her. All the vaccine has done for Sakura is made sure that she can not infect others and that no one in the village will be able to contract it. I can see how that might be confusing since there is mention of her being raped. Just wanted to make that clear!

Alright, enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto!

* * *

 **Chapter Two: Revival**

A bitter cold rain coats the fertile grass of Konoha, or at least the grass that the icy winter has left behind. Sakura watches the rain with doleful, green eyes miserably thinking to herself that if there was a night to die, it would be this night—a night in which the rain can't nearly reach the cold numbness she is feeling inside her own heart, a night in which she beats nature in that category. She shivers suddenly, pulling the covers closer to her bodice and wishing that Naruto could be there, her resolve being broken down by one, frosty night. And here, she had thought she once was a strong ninja.

"Still cold?" she hears a voice murmur from the doorway of her room. Emerald eyes trail in the direction of the voice and then meet with impassive onyx. He walks towards her, an old, ratty blanket in his hands. Sakura's hands glide across the jumbled blankets already on her. By the looks of it, this is the last one that her babysitter can find.

"Yeah," she sighs, muttering a thank-you as he drapes the old thing over her. She frowns, hating the feeling of being so restricted when she's not even getting the coveted warmth out of it. "Can't we just turn up the thermostat? Just a little bit more, Sasuke, please?" she begs, growing even more frustrated with the prospect of having to add _one more_ blanket to her already mountainous bed.

He shakes his head, trying his best to tuck her in to obtain the maximum warmth. "It's already at 86. If we turn it up anymore, the paint will be melting off the walls."

She shudders in defeat, a small whimper escaping through her lips as she closes her eyes and shakes her head back and forth. She's quiet for a moment and then all that can be heard is the pitter patter of the rain outside; the soft, hitched sound of her breath. She brings her hands up to her face.

"I just want this to be _over,_ " she moans softly, pathetically. And then she is quiet. And _he_ is quiet as he stares at her, waiting for her next order, waiting for her to tell him what to do.

He can't complain, though. He needs her to tell him what to do—needs her to say _something, anything_. He cannot imagine never hearing her voice again—that sweet, calming voice that reminded him he was home, he was safe, he was loved back when all anyone wanted to do was throw him into prison for being away from Konoha for so long. Sakura's presence is necessary; her smile like a cold drink of water. He can't imagine _life_ without her. Even when he was gone, her smile was ever-present in his dreams—tattooed across his mind. And now, he has to watch her leave him, just as he had left her.

Sometimes he wishes he had never run away, had never left his comrades' sides—wishes he had had the full effect of Sakura's smile when she was thirteen, and been present when she had become a fiery chuunin at fifteen. He wishes he had seen the glow on her cheeks when she had her first kiss at sixteen, and witnessed her blossom into a beautiful woman at eighteen. He wishes he hadn't just popped back into her life barely two years ago just to watch her become a victim of a mission gone wrong not even a full year after that, because Sakura is something special. Something that comes along only once in a lifetime. Sakura is something that can't be replaced.

More than just a person to him, Sakura is an _essence_ , an idea, a way of life, a true light—shining and beckoning him closer, giving him a reason to return back to Konoha. He gets lost in thought about Sakura, lost in those big, green eyes that unravel his past and point to his future.

It didn't take Sasuke long to realize that he loves her. It didn't take Sasuke much longer to realize that what Naruto has for Sakura is even stronger, a _need_ , a _bond_ that Sasuke had severed long ago. Sasuke can't give Sakura what Naruto can give her, only friendship, only comfort. But it is more than enough for him as long as he is able to see her, able to feel her heart still beating, a smile still adorning her face even in these trying times.

Even so, Sasuke can't help but feel that he has missed everything—taken for granted the years that he had been with her. And now he is going to watch her die.

He sits down on the bed so that he is facing away from her, his hands gripping tightly together and his elbows balancing on his knees. He grits his teeth together tightly.

"I am sorry…" he says barely above a whisper. Any softer, and he wouldn't have said it at all.

The words take awhile to reach her, but when they do, she unsheathes her countenance from her hands and stares at his back just in time to see him taking off his shoes. She soon realizes that his apology means a lot more than 'I wish you weren't so cold'.

"Sasuke…" He hears her moving around a bit in the bed. "What are you doing?"

He frowns slightly, wondering if he should do this—wondering if it's safe to be near her at all. "Body heat," is his curt reply. "It's the best way to keep warm." But he didn't have to say that. She's a medic-nin after all, and as he catches a glimpse at her, he notices her nodding in agreement. She reaches out towards him, and a faint touch of the skin right above his elbow is all it takes.

He stands up abruptly, making his way out the door and to the left towards the guest bedroom. Sakura furrows her eyebrows curiously. Before she is able to question him, he says, "I'll be right back. I'm going to go check on Hinata and Narake. I'll turn the thermostat up."

He frowns. He cannot handle touching her after all.

* * *

A loud, screeching noise wakes Sakura from her sleep, her eyes popping open instantly. It doesn't take her long to realize it is the Konoha alarm signaling a lockdown as she slowly sits up, frazzled and trying hard to fight the sleepiness and fatigue instructing her weak bones to lie back down. Sasuke, as quick and agile as any full-blown jonin, is already bustling around her room, placing warm day clothes on the bed for her and grabbing flashlights and first-aid kits from her drawers. She can derive from his rigid form and stern gaze that he is trying to thoroughly assess the situation.

She rubs her puffy eyes and wills herself to start getting dressed. Though the days typically mesh together as the pinkette is in and out of sleep most of the time, she is almost positive that the last drill they had was on only a couple weeks ago and they were usually during the day hours anyway. "Do you think someone is actually in the village?" she asks hoarsely, struggling to pull a warm pair of pants up her thin legs.

He pauses before briskly walking over to her and helping her with the task, quickly—albeit gingerly—shoving a thick pair of socks and boots on her feet. "I'm not sure," he murmurs calmly, but his eyes are fierce—as if he doesn't trust the situation at all.

Sakura gasps as he pulls a sweatshirt over her head. "Narake—"

"Is with Hinata and they are both already half way to the shelter by now." She looks at him warily—her eyebrows knitting together worriedly—but is noticeably relieved. "I felt them leave two minutes ago," he says, and as he helps her stand, she can see that he appears reassured by their departure, as well.

Sakura ventures to gaze out the window with concerned eyes, her gaze lingering on a couple hurriedly wrapping their child in a light jacket and carrying him in the direction of the shelter. She sees many other inhabitants of the complexes in similar situations—unarmed, too flustered to realize what it means to be in true danger. Sakura does not see even a chunin-level shinobi amongst the rattled throngs of people. The pink-haired medic envisions a psychotic ex-nin taking them by surprise and turning this bedraggled crowd into a massacred myriad of victims and then looks at Sasuke.

"You have to go," she says harshly.

A glint of confusion passes through Sasuke's eyes, before it is gone and replaced with his signature stoic features. "We _are_ going."

"No, _you_ have to go. Now. Without me," she orders, a vibrancy he had thought lost springing into her turquoise depths.

His lips thin and he stares at her. "That's not going to happen, Sakura," he says calmly, but there is a bite in his tone that holds warning.

"Yes, it is. The Hokage's probably wondering where you are now. You're needed elsewhere." He continues to stare at her long and hard, but her steely green gaze refuses to falter. "I'm serious, Sasuke. Forget about me." His stoic gaze wanders to the people she had previously been looking at and realization hits him, but he has yet to move—not quite sure if he should risk leaving her side.

"Go!" is her final order and his eyes narrow sternly at her.

"Fine," he snaps. "But if I don't see you in ten minutes, I'm coming back for you." And he is gone in a flicker.

Sakura sighs once he is gone, reminding herself to stay on her feet. She knows that Naruto tasked the young Uchiha to watch her in his absence, but this is a special case. Though Tsunade would probably also be upset at not seeing her pink-haired apprentice accompanying Sasuke to the Hokage Tower for briefing, Sakura can at least guarantee that the blonde will be relieved to see the skilled shinobi while people like Naruto and Kakashi are away on missions. It has been years since they've had an intrusion; Sakura can see the Godaime fuming now, what with it being nearly three in the morning.

Sakura steadies herself and takes a deep breath, readying herself to leave as she grabs her old weapon's pouch just in case. Her mind drifts to her son, a bit annoyed that she has lost the ability to sense chakra. Her gut tells her he is alright, though, and instinct has gotten her out of a lot of problems in her day. The sooner she sees Narake, the better.

 _The sooner I can go back to sleep, the better_ , her mind groans bitterly. Sakura scoffs at her thoughts. It's aggravating that sleep deprivation is the only thing on Sakura's mind at a time like this, but it is. Sakura's so tired, she contemplates just falling asleep and letting whatever villain come kidnap her or take her money or whatever, but she shakes the thought out of her head after telling herself that this is much more serious than that. Someone breaking into Konoha just to steal something from her house of _all_ houses or to kidnap a dying kunoichi seems laughable. This is the real deal.

She wills herself to start walking out the door when a chill suddenly runs up her spine. Her eyebrows furrow in thought and she pauses. She feels cold—colder than usual and she doesn't remember opening the window…something isn't right. A ninja sense thought long forgotten is tingling deep within her and pure instinct tells her to turn around where she meets a pair of violet eyes.

Before Sakura's shinobi instinct has the chance to kick in, her stomach decides it wants to do little flips and her heart decides to stop. She is unable to move as she stares into vicious violet orbs, a sick grin spreading across the lips of the eyes' owner. Able to avert her gaze for a second, she notices the signature black cloak with red clouds and her breath catches firmly in her throat.

 _Akatsuki…_ Sakura suddenly wishes she had gone with the Uchiha after all.

"Yo, Kakuzu, I think I found her," bellows the tall man before her, raising his eyebrow in amusement at her apparent state of shock and eyeing her up and down. "Skinny little bitch, she is. You sure this is her?"

"Positive," confirms a stiff voice behind the silver-haired man. Sakura again wants to slap herself in the face for not being able to sense chakra—there are not one, but _two_ members of Akatsuki in her house! "Grab her and let's go."

Sakura's eyes widen in blatant surprise as she realizes they are not here to kill her, but kidnap her. But why? She's trembling slightly beneath all her heavy clothing, a cold sweat beginning to form on her brow, but it is less out of fear than out of concentration. It has been a minute since Sakura's been in a situation where she has to think on her toes like this. Her mind drifts back to her last mission and she nearly blanches—if it were possible to be anymore _pale_ than she already is—hoping to Kami that this doesn't turn out like the last one did.

She has to get out of here—who _knows_ what kind of information they could get out of her in her vulnerable state, who _knows_ what they would do with her body when she keeled over from the stress of being tortured. What were they here for, why _her_? She forces herself to stop asking frantic questions and think of an escape route. The window is out. Using chakra is out. Even using raw force is out—Sakura can barely sit up out of bed, let alone fend off a powerful opponent like an Akatsuki member.

She can't fight, but she can try to run—try to make a commotion until someone hears and can call for help. Other than that, there is nothing. But Sakura refuses to be the victim again.

A new willpower wells up inside of the girl, and as quickly as a hand reaches out to grab her, she pulls a kunai from her pack and lunges at the man with a battlecry. Her weak attempt at an attack is easily avoided by the silver-haired man as he grabs her wrist and squeezes firmly, making her drop the kunai and letting it hit the ground with a sharp clank.

His eyes are a vibrant indigo now, flashing angrily her way. "What the fuck was that, you little bitch?!" She whimpers and falls to her knees as his grip tightens around her wrist, a sickening crack and a sharp pain making the girl bite her lip hard in order to not scream, her eyes shutting tight.

"Hidan," hisses the other cloaked ninja. "Enough. Just grab her and let's—"

The green-eyed man falls silent as he dodges a kunai that lands with a thud against the wall behind him. Sakura gasps as fire engulfs the window, the Akatsuki member jumping back to begin a counter attack. Gritting her teeth together, a new sense of hope fills within her–she recognizes that technique anywhere.

"Sasuke!" she screeches as loud as her weakened vocal chords allow her to.

The green-eyed Akatsuki member's arms fly out rapidly from his cloak in an attempt to attack the young Uchiha but Sasuke is too quick and flickers away to safety. "Hidan! Now!" And she is swiftly scooped up from her spot on the ground and carried out of the room and out of her apartment, the last thing in her vision being a red pinwheel filled to the brim with worry and determination.

She wants so much to fight back against her assailant, but just the speed of his movements as he jostles her around is enough to make her head spin. With her wrist throbbing painfully, it takes her all not to fall victim to unconsciousness as she finds herself grasping tightly onto her capturer rather than pushing him away in fear of falling off of the high rooftops and most assuredly to her death. She is able to notice a blue flicker in her periphery as her heart drops into her stomach. _Kisame_.

That would make three against one, and though she had all the faith in the world in Sasuke, the odds were definitely against him. She finds herself wishing that Naruto were there, wishing that she hadn't been so foolish as to tell Sasuke to go without her. This was planned. This is exactly what they had banked on.

"Where's Kakuzu?" asks Kisame gruffly.

"Fighting the Uchiha." Hidan's eyes shift behind him as if sensing something. "Why don't you worry more about not being followed, you fucker?" grinds out Hidan.

Kisame scoffs. "Ain't nobody following me," he says a bit defensively and then smirks. "At least no one important anyway." Hidan raises a questioning eyebrow. "They're all dead." His comment is dripping in mirth and bloodlust.

Sakura's teal gaze widens as she feels tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, finally garnering enough strength to wiggle around in protest as she lets out a small growl. She has no time to wonder who had been in Kisame's path when he was rummaging through the village, but it honestly doesn't matter. A casualty is a casualty, and over her no less. She holds back large, hot tears, shoving with all her might against the silver-haired Akatuski member.

"Hey!" he growls, instantly pinning her movement and fixating her so that she is now draped over his shoulder, her current view of the village limits fading behind her as blood begins to rush to her head. Hidan's focus is now back on his fellow Akatsuki member, a small huff leaving his lips. "I don't get why _you_ get to kill people and _I_ don't."

Suddenly, Kakuzu appears on Hidan's other side, a bead of sweat dripping down his face. "No one should be killing _anyone_ ," he spats almost breathlessly. Sakura can hear the irritation in his voice, can picture the glare in his dark green eyes. This is meant to be merely a kidnapping mission. That means Sasuke…

A flash of lightning flies past her aimed right at Kakuzu as he parries it just in time. Sakura cranes her head upward just a bit to witness the Uchiha not far behind them.

"Sasuke!" she whimpers, her voice becoming hoarse and strained and lost in the cold night air. Her heart skips a beat as she notices another ninja trailing the Uchiha, an ANBU mask in the likeness of a bear covering his countenance. Again, Sakura feels a wave of hope rush over her as the edges of her vision began to go dark and she slowly loses consciousness, her last thought being an overwhelming sense of shame as she realizes she again is calling after Sasuke to rescue her; that she has lost all the independence she had worked to gain when he left the village; that she has failed herself once again.

* * *

She is shaken back into consciousness due to the chilly wind scraping against her face. Not sure how long she has been out or where she is, Sakura begins to panic, her heart nearly jumping up her esophagus and out of her mouth as she becomes aware of her situation. She can't be anywhere near Konoha, as the temperature feels almost 20 degrees cooler and it is snowing.

A gasp escapes her mouth as she remembers that Sasuke was in pursuit and, again, working to lift her head to see that no one is in sight, her state of panic and confusion only rises as she begins to struggle against her capturer again, this time using all the strength she has left to flail her arms against his back weakly.

Hidan stiffens, turning around to reveal his harsh, purple gaze. "Quit it!" he seethes, tightening his hold on her to which Sakura gags as her breath escapes her. "There ain't no point, idiot. The Konoha scum lost our trail a long time ago." Sakura's eyes close in defeat as she fights for breath. "Unless you would like to be my first kill of the day, I suggest you calm the fuck down," he spats begrudgingly before turning back around.

Relief at her friends seemingly avoiding any harm or most definitely death flows through her before she is forced to come to terms with her predicament. She has been captured by Akatsuki and with no understanding as to why. She wracks her brain for any reason they might have to risk three of their best to retrieve her, any information she might have that could be of any interest to them, but she is at a loss. It has been over a year since her last ANBU mission, so any necessary information concerning her previous life has since been destroyed. She might be the Godaime's most trusted apprentice in the field, but she holds no position worth entrusting important and lethal information to, and even then, why her? If they had done their homework correctly—which is something she would never put past the Akatsuki—then they would know that she could possibly keel over on the way to their hideout. This means they need something, specifically from her, and that they believe they can retrieve it from her quickly.

She knows she should be worried, especially since her last mission ended in a little over a week of torture, but for once she is at peace. She is ready to go, and although this might not be the ideal way, at least her end is somewhere in the near future. She glares, her tiny digits clenching into the fabric of the black and red cloak. That does not mean she has to make it easy on them.

A look of resolve settles deftly into Sakura's features as she does the only thing she knows to do. She pushes herself upwards and bites down on Hidan's shoulder, and hard at that. A loud yelp pierces through the night as the metallic taste of blood seeps past her lips and before she knows it, the arm that once held her against her will has retracted and she is swiftly falling through the air.

"Stupid bitch!" Hidan snarls, and a sense of triumph travels through her blood before her eyes widen in terror. Her breath escapes her as she does her best to dodge a sharp tree limb and failing as she ricochets off of it painfully. A sharp pain shoots up her back upon contact before she is flailing against the wind once again, unable to comprehend what is happening, her arms weakly batting around in all directions before excruciating pain erupts through stomach.

A soft whimper finds its way through the pink-haired kunoichi's lips as her beryl green eyes open softly. No sound escapes her mouth as she slowly allows her gaze to fall to her waist when finally a fearful sob escapes through her lips, her eyebrows furrowing softly. A long, thick tree branch is jutting through her stomach, dark blood coating the branch as well as the white snow beneath her feet. Heaving out short and panicked breaths, she allows her shaky hands to move towards her blood-stained waist, her middle finger lightly scraping past the edge of her wound before she winces and her hand recoils swiftly as if she has touched fire. A knowing shudder wracks through her whole body. There is no doubt in what has happened. This is it.

The edges of her vision start to blur as she notices the sliver-haired Akatsuki member land in front of her, sweat dripping from his brow and his countenance reading concern.

"Dammit!" he curses softly to himself, before looking towards her forehead expectantly. "Where's that diamond thingy?!" he asks frantically as Kisame appears next to him. He glares at the blue-skinned man before his gaze is back on Sakura. "I don't see it! Why the fuck isn't she healing herself?!"

It is proving harder and harder for the pinkette to breathe as her eyes lull before shutting completely. Another voice brings her back from the unconsciousness she wishes to take over her weak form and her green eyes open with a start to see Kakuzu glaring at Hidan angrily.

"She can't heal herself, you imbecile; she was already dying when we found her," he huffs out coldly. As the vision around her eyes begins to go black, she inwardly laughs to herself. So they _did_ know she was dying. But now she is intrigued. What in Kami's name was their reason for kidnapping her?

The sharp pain in her waist begins to ebb, and she realizes that she will not have the time or strength to ever find out. Her mind travels to her baby. He will never truly know his mother and, although she only had a few more days regardless of these recent events, she had hoped to leave her life here with Narake in her arms, Naruto staring lovingly into her eyes. This one wish has been taken from her and her only victory is that, even in her last moments, she is able to deny the Akatsuki of something they want. She is true kunoichi to the bitter end.

Sakura is able to focus back in on the flustered trio of ex-nin although her senses are waning in performance, her chin beginning to tilt down to rest against her chest.

"Just do it," she hears Kakuzu demand.

Hidan scoffs. "Why are we being so serious? We'll find someone else." He pauses. "Leader's just going to have to deal with it. I don't really give a fuck what he says."

A soft breeze rustles her thinning hair against her countenance and she feels that it is almost time for her to finally let go. "You don't understand…" says Kakuzu, his voice low and strained.

Kisame snarls impatiently. "Kakuzu's right. You've been gone for a long time. It's best we just appease Leader and do it." Silence reigns before Hidan gives a defeated sigh. The chakra in the area spikes significantly as she becomes aware of two hands roughly grabbing at her shoulders.

Before she is taken away by the Sweet Release, her lidded gaze is able to recognize the clouds giving way to the sun, a bright light seeping into her already blurred vision. A breeze warmer than those that came before it picks up the sweat lying still on her pallid countenance and two birds sing a happy, albeit repetitive tune as she blacks out.

She didn't believe she would actually make it.

It is finally spring.

* * *

 **A/N:** Alright, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! Please let me know what you think in your reviews! Bye for now!


	4. Dreams and Reveries

**A/N:** Hey, everyone! I have another update for y'all! While this chapter might seem heavy on the background, much of it is very important for the story and the relationships between the characters. There was mention of Sasuke loving Sakura in the last chapter, and I expand on that a little as well as a bit more regarding their relationship after Sasuke's return. PLEASEEE stay with me though! I promise there are some fun HidanxSaku moments to come!

Enjoy! And please **R &R**!

P.S. _Scenes from the past are written in italics in this chapter!_

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto!

* * *

 _Other than the hushed murmurs proliferating through the air with each step the source of their fascination and awe takes closer, it is uncharacteristically quiet at the front gates of Konoha today. Sakura fights through the mumbling crowd with steely determination, Naruto and Kakashi in tow; there are only a couple reasons that what seemed to be the whole village would gather near the Konoha gates, and based on the lack of smiles she witnesses around her, Sakura quickly rules out most of the more joyful reasons. The medic glances momentarily behind her to see the Kyuubi-container itching to ask those around him questions, but even he is unable to read a situation this tense._

 _Whispering a haste "pardon" as she shoves a burly man at the front out of the way, Sakura grabs Naruto's arm and pulls him all the way through with her, every bit of hardened resolve leaving her being as she sets eyes on the person walking into the village gates._

 _She is speechless, her eyes widening and her breath catching firmly in her throat as a tall man stalks into the village, at least five ANBU surrounding him_. _Sasuke… she thinks longingly, and although she is unable to voice her surprise and concern, Naruto is more than able to do so._

" _Sasuke!" he shouts at the top his lungs, shaking Sakura's hand from his arm as he takes a step forward. Sakura's eyebrows furrow in agitation at Naruto's impatience, readying herself to berate him for his lack of couth when suddenly cool onyx is on her, paralyzing her instantly. Sakura can vaguely hear Naruto yelling even more obscenities at Sasuke as Kakashi restrains him to the best of his abilities, but nothing can break the intensity of their locked gazes, nothing will ever be able to rid her of the jarring memory of Sasuke's electric gaze on her. As if he had wanted to say something else the day he left her on that bench; as if he has been fighting to get back here this whole time to tell her something—what exactly, she doesn't know._

 _Sakura is sure no one has ever looked at her like that in her entire life, that her breath has never been knocked out of her lungs only to pool in the deep pit of her stomach and make her feel sick with nervous anticipation like it had done on the day Sasuke returned. Sakura has not felt weak for a long time, but that long, stern, inky gaze of the Uchiha has suddenly made her feel much like the helpless, shivering genin she once was. While every single one of her friends wanted nothing more than to pummel the last Uchiha into next year, Sakura was left with the insatiable desire to forgive Sasuke and never let him leave her sight again._

 _And with that, he finally releases her gaze and is ushered towards the Hokage Tower._

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Dreams and Reveries**

* * *

 _She marches through the prison doors with feigned confidence, a young chunin cowering under her stern gaze as she asks for entrance to the highly guarded cell her ex-teammate is being housed in. Rifling through her pockets, she unveils the entrance card Ibiki had given her in his office and the chunin nods shakily before unlocking the large, squeaky door. Sakura enters, her stony features suddenly being replaced with hesitance and uneasiness as soon as the door slams shut behind her. Try as she might, there is no way she can continue to act the resolute and jaded kunoichi she is not around him._

 _Seated behind a two-way window is the last Uchiha, a look of indifference set deftly against his alabaster countenance. Sakura has to remind herself to breathe, the memory of his unreadable orbs boring into her when he entered the village making it difficult to even remember why she has come._

 _Why has she come? What does she even have to say to him? She recounts rising this morning with her mind set firmly on speaking with her ex-teammate—the mystery behind why he left and what he was even doing in his absence keeping her from sleeping soundly. A chill runs up her spine as she realizes that she might not like his answers to these questions; that her jaded comrades of who are unwilling to speak with Sasuke might be right about him._

 _Finally urging herself to snap out of her circular and anxious train of thought and move forward, she reaches for the doorknob and enters into the cold room inaudibly. His eyes are on her as soon as she enters, and forcing herself to stay strong, the young medic neutralizes her facial expression. Behind her, she senses a couple guards file into the room to ensure her safety and she closes the door behind her with a soft click. It is silent for a while as he tilts his head to the side slightly; looking at her with what she assumes is quiet amusement._

" _Have you come to interrogate me, Sakura?" It is the first time she has heard his voice in a long time and she is taken aback by how deep it has become in their time apart. She falters, looking down at her feet as she takes a step forward, frightened that if she is caught in that strong, onyx gaze for another second that she will most certainly choke on her words and be too embarrassed to continue. This is, after all, a surreal experience—she honestly time and time again wondered if he would ever return._

 _Steady sea-foam green eyes hold his own. "I think we both know that I couldn't hurt you if I tried," she voices gently, albeit curt. There is a steel chair sitting directly in front of him, and Sakura moves toward it, plopping down in it tiredly. Long days at the hospital and long nights wondering how this encounter would turn out have left the kunoichi drained, her hand lifting to massage the knots out of her sore neck._

 _She looks back at him, his lips in a strict line, but just as when he strutted into the village a little over a week ago, there is something else there. A ghost of his angst-laden leer of the past flits through his eyes swiftly before it is gone, and she is left to ponder whether she was supposed to ever see that—whether he had meant to let his impassive stare crack in that moment._

 _She sighs softly, closing her eyes and leaning forward so that her elbows are resting on her knees, loose, pink strands of hair falling into her eyes. "I can't believe I'm saying this, Sasuke…but thank-you for coming back. It may not seem like it right now, but we're very happy for your return and we hope for a smooth transition period," she says softly. She is unsure how she has become the mediator of their village, but here she is with arms wide open to someone who not only betrayed their village, but her personally. Naruto's emotions would get the best of him, and she's sure any of the other rookies would do their best to beat him into a bloody pulp. Witnessing how Sasuke's desertion affected both Naruto and Sakura, Kakashi refuses to even be near him—which says a lot coming from their usually calm and collected sensei. Sakura lives to accommodate, she thrives on the comfort of those around her. Sakura no longer has the energy to hate, no longer has the will to hold a grudge. Sasuke hurt her—but she would not let hate consume her like it did him. She is better than that. It is difficult for her to do this, but at least it is possible._

" _I'm sure they will have you out of here soon enough," she finishes, doing her best to keep her features pleasant._

 _If Sasuke is surprised in her lack of temper, he does very little show it as silence reigns once again. His hands grip at his knees firmly before loosening and then his eyes soften._

 _"It will not happen again."_

 _She raises a pink eyebrow in apparent confusion, her breathing becoming shallow. Eyes narrowing slightly, she searches in his surprisingly cool orbs for an answer, her body shaking faintly in poorly-hidden shock. "What?" she is able to muster breathily._

 _He sighs. "I will not leave you," he says with conviction, obsidian eyes scorching her own. "It will not happen again."_

 _Sakura feels something flutter within her, but she is not quite sure why. Uncertain of what to do with his sudden and alarming statement, she stands abruptly and takes her leave._

 _Sakura can stand speaking to him, but she will be damned if he makes promises that he cannot keep._

* * *

Sasuke stands motionless before the Hokage as she rambles off protocol and missions for the shinobi in her office. Although Tsunade's orders are of grave importance being that they were attacked by Akatsuki only last night, Sasuke's mind is elsewhere.

His hardened onyx eyes narrow as the memory of Sakura's kidnapping silently torments him. Sasuke realizes that if anyone is to look at him at this moment that they might find his expression distressing. He knows he should not have left her, but how could he have known that the intruders were there to capture Sakura? The idea is still preposterous.

The notion that last night's happenings were unforeseeable doesn't do well in quelling the Uchiha's concern for his old teammate and his disappointment in himself. How did he not sense that? Why did he leave her? This situation could have been prevented had she not looked at him with those big, turquoise eyes that calmed him and assured him she would make it to the shelter—had he not trusted her with his entire being when she could barely lift herself from her bed.

Sasuke is now clenching his fists tightly enough by his sides to draw blood, a frightening scowl threatening to contort his slightly cross features. He can feel everyone's dirty looks on him, blaming him for Sakura's kidnapping, but it does not bother him. He does not need their approval and already feels guilt enough for letting Sakura go. He can only imagine what Naruto will do when he comes back.

"And Sasuke." The young Uchiha snaps out of his reverie at the sound of the busty blonde's voice, training his gaze on her reverentially. Her elbows perch on her desk, her chin resting upon her clenched fingers. Her strong honey gaze does not waver. "I think it's time to send you on your first S-class mission since being invited back into Konoha. Be ready by dusk to go on the Sakura retrieval mission."

Though Tsuande's offer surprises Sasuke, he does not allow his astonishment to show. He has been on probation for the past year and a half that he has been in the village, and he never knew when the Hokage and the council would allow him to be sent on missions again—and he especially did not think it'd be under circumstances in which he had royally fucked up. He technically does not even have chunin status.

"What!?" explodes Ino, aggressively stepping forward, her facial expression one of true rage. "Hokage-sama, this would not even _be_ a mission if he had done his job and protected Sakura in the first place!" she carps, pointing an accusing finger the Uchiha's way and sending him a heated glare.

Sasuke's lips thin as Ino scrutinizes him under her disapproving gaze, her chest heaving heavily in conspicuous fury before Tsunade's hands slap loudly on her desk.

"That is precisely the point. If Sasuke cares about anything in this village, it is Sakura. He will work harder than anyone to make sure she is brought back safe and sound and he deserves to be able to redeem himself." Tsuande stands, regarding Ino pointedly, her stance rigid and stern. "Now back down, Yamanaka. You do not get to question my commands."

Ino slowly regains her cool, her body still trembling in anger as she bows towards the Hokage. "I apologize for my outburst, Hokage-sama…" she says, before straightening and doing her best to not look in the Uchiha's direction.

Tsunade nods. "Apology accepted." She then gazes at the Uchiha, raising a golden brow. "Sasuke, do you accept this mission?"

* * *

 _When he comes to speak with her, she is smiling. He is uncertain why as the frantic and stoic tidbits of information he has received from both Naruto and Kakashi respectively lead the young Uchiha to believe that this situation is no laughing matter. Tsunade, at first tentative at the thought of sending Sasuke to confront her apprentice about her precarious decision to keep the child, is at this moment sure that this is the only way to go. The Hokage remembers how distant the pinkette was when Sasuke first returned, how calm and peaceful her façade was juxtaposed with the livid reactions of her friends._

 _Sakura still saw something in the Uchiha that no one else did. She would have to listen._

 _He does not have to speak for her to know why he has come as she ushers him to sit across the table from her. She has chosen to meet him in a small café, a public area so that their conversation does not get out of hand. For some reason, emotions are at their most sensitive when she speaks with Sasuke and she wholeheartedly believes it is because of their past—because of the way he looks at her with that unreadable gaze that sets her insides alight._

 _Asking the waitress to bring him a glass of water, he stares blandly at her._

" _You are pregnant," he voices matter-of-factly._

 _Sakura smiles at him, doing her best to ignore the taut and unmoving look on his face. She must remain focused or else fall prey to his disapproval. "I'm surprised you're just now confronting me about this; I'm pretty sure the whole village knows by now," she says dismissively. Her eyes trail across the room as she notices the various looks of guilt aimed in her direction. "Poor, innocent Sakura, barely made it back from her shit-show of a mission and knocked up by a sadistic maniac at that," she quietly drawls with mock-excitement. She mumbles a word of thanks as the waitress drops off their beverages._

 _Sasuke seems on edge as he raises an obsidian eyebrow. "Any other reason Tsunade has asked me to speak with you?" he questions, cutting to the point._

 _She leans back, sighing languidly. "Well, bad luck does tend to come in threes…" she retorts, a sly smirk slipping onto her lackadaisical features._

 _"Sakura…" he bites out, warning inching into his typically cool tone. She stiffens, the smile gradually leaving her countenance as she is forced to fess up, her teal eyes falling to the table, landing on her glass of water, her hands, anything but his stern onyx. She has learned long ago that she cannot fight him and emerge victorious when he looks at her like that._

 _She takes a deep breath, finally training her eyes on his. "I'm keeping him." Sasuke noticeably bristles, but reverts back to his listless appearance before anyone else is able to recognize him in this unusual state. The small crack in the young Uchiha's demeanor is not something Sakura is used to and she finds it difficult to find her voice at first, almost cowering under him like one would under a disappointed parent. "I know what this means and I'm sure that my shishou has prompted you, as well. But you have to understand that this is my decision and that I really need you, Naruto, and Kakashi to stand by me more than ever."_

 _He clasps his hands together over the table before looking at her with what she can only characterize as concern. Straining his voice so that it does not appear taciturn, he regards her as tenderly as an Uchiha can. "Does Naruto know?"_

 _She closes her eyes, relief filling her at Sasuke's calm reaction. "No," she whispers, her eyebrows knitting together worriedly. "Only you and Tsunade. I'm not sure how I'm going to break it to him." A flicker of pride finds its way across Sasuke's face, but it is gone once he allows his eyes to land on her. It has been a long time since Sasuke has seen his old teammate look so sad, her eyes low and her usual jovial grin downturned into one of the most pitiful frowns he has ever seen. At first, he wonders why Sakura would want to be seen like this in public, but then realizes as animated as the pinkette might be, she would never allow herself to cry in a restaurant full of people. She would never allow herself to cry in front of_ him _._

 _He nods once, releasing the tension he was, unbeknownst to him previously, holding in his shoulders, and she lets out a breath that she did not even know she was holding. To anyone else, Sasuke's nod would mean nothing, but she has known the stoic Uchiha long enough to understand his simple and monotonous signals. She can trust him._

" _Another thing…" she begins softly, distracting herself with the condensation forming on her icy glass of water. "With your permission, I would like to name him Narake."_

 _He is silent for a moment, still mulling over the fact that he will have to watch his teammate suffer more than the majority of her comrades, himself included, will deem necessary. "I do not understand," he says evenly._

"' _Na' for Naruto; 'ra' for Sakura; 'ke' for Sasuke… Narake." She pushes a fallen stand of hair behind her ear and stares at him with big, doleful green eyes. "Do I have your permission?"_

 _She is being uncharacteristically ambiguous, and Sasuke is not sure why. "You do not need my permission for a character, Sakura," he says slowly, eyeing her quizzically. "What do you really need from me?"_

 _Sakura sighs. "I am asking for your blessing. As my son's godfather." His eyes widen as she crosses her arms austerely over her chest, her eyes roaming the wooden tabletop in thought. "I need someone I can trust. Of course Naruto will be there, but you know how he is…" She trails off, a small smile pulling at the edges of her lips as she speaks on her boyfriend. "Naruto gets so emotional. I need someone that is going to be rational as well—someone that can make well thought out and tough decisions concerning my son." She pauses, her turquoise watch firmly attaching to his obsidian one._

 _For once, Sasuke is at a loss of words. "Sakura…" he murmurs stiffly._

 _She is no longer looking at him. Her turquoise eyes traveling towards the window as she watches two kids run down the street, laughing loudly in the Konoha sun. "Were you being honest, Sasuke?" she inquires seemingly unperturbed by his astonishment._

 _He blinks rapidly, snapping himself out of his shock and raises an onyx eyebrow in confusion. "What do you mean?"_

 _Teal eyes catch his. "Were you being honest when you told me it wouldn't happen again? That you wouldn't leave me?" He nods, and although he knows that this will allow her almost anything she requests, he does so resolutely. Her hands land on her nearly flat stomach, her gaze still burning into his own, a pleading look finding a way into those green orbs if only momentarily. "This is part of me now. And I expect you to keep your word."_

 _He nods again; extremely humbled and almost a bit overwhelmed by this momentous task. But he cannot go back on his word now, and he will do anything to show Sakura exactly where his loyalties lie. Sakura has been there for him even when he, himself, would caution against it; even when he realized that she would be swallowed whole by his own ego and vengeance. He would be there for her if she would have him._

" _Okay," he relents, and she smiles, eyes still firm and steady. She reaches across the table and takes his hand in her small one. He stiffens, still not well acquainted with feeling her soft, warm skin against his own and wondering if this is something he can handle without wanting to do everything in his power to make her his._

" _Thank-you, Sasuke. You have no idea how much this means to me." But it is he who has her to thank. She has given him purpose when no one would trust him to even be near the general public. The pure camaraderie, patience, and compassion Sakura has shown Sasuke is unrivaled and unfathomable. He owes her so much more than a mere promise to keep her future child safe._

 _Sakura gently squeezes his fingers and his attention falls back on her face. She smiles fully this time, her eyes glinting happily. "Now, let's eat something, ne?"_

* * *

Sasuke's jaw clenches. He is finally able to redeem himself in the eyes of his Hokage; finally able to be on the front lines again and reclaim his Konoha shinobi status, but a pink-haired medic and his promise to her is standing in his way.

"In Naruto's absence, my place is here with Narake. I am sorry, but I cannot accept this mission." He bows lowly, ignoring the look of apparent shock laced with curiosity on Tsunade's face before turning on his heels and leaving the room to relieve the young Hyuga of Sakura's child.

* * *

It is dark where she is. And usually, not a huge proponent of obscurity, she welcomes it. It is comforting and warm. After moments of wondering where she is and what has become of her, the vision of blood suspended around a tree branch and dripping from her stomach encases her mind in an odd security. She is finally free; she no longer has to worry about the imminence of her impending death.

She is free.

Gradually, pink-tinted light begins to swell around her, rocking her lightly, coaxing her to fall back into her endless slumber. A feather soft touch forces her to glance down at her hand and she notices the slender limb of a child, his hand clutching loosely to hers.

The child looks up at her with vibrant teal eyes that match her own, and his head is topped with tousled dirty blonde locks, a smile adorning his cherubic features. Sakura gasps, her lips trembling slightly as tears instantly well up in the back of her throat.

"Narake…" she whispers hoarsely, crouching down to pull him into a strong hug, her arms shuddering slightly as tears fall onto the top of his head. She kisses his face numerous times before pulling back to assure herself that this is in fact her child she is looking at, caressing his face, fervently checking his body to make sure he is fine as her eyebrows knit in motherly concern.

The sound of his chuckle is music to her ears. "I'm okay, Mama, promise," he reassures and she lifts both of his hands to her lips, kissing them gingerly.

She closes her eyes, memorizing the feeling of his soft hands against her face. "Mommy thought she would never see you again…" Sakura admits tearfully, opening her eyes and placing his hands back by his side, smoothing down his clothing. Her carefree bliss and sudden relief is only cut short by her curiosity. "You're so big…" she says quietly, apprehension edging back into her tone as she looks the young boy up and down. "I just left you. How are you…so…" Widened eyes rise slowly; her brisk grooming motions coming to a halt as realization hits her like a truck. This is not a heavenly afterlife. This is—

"A dream."

A chill runs up her spine at the sound of the gruff, sardonic voice behind her. Her heart threatens to beat out of her chest as she slowly turns to face the ownerof the voice, fear gripping at her insides. Upon facing the source of the comment, a gasp catches firmly in her throat, her mouth falling agape in fright as fiery orange irises glint dangerously down at her. Sakura is suddenly aware that the man that has been on a sickening tirade through her nightmares is now leering down at her and she feels her body grow cold, her son's wrist falling limply out of her hand.

 _Saburo…_ she thinks to herself, every inch of her being shivering in terror as her mind travels back to the last she saw of him. A rather large tremor moves through her timid form as his smirk only increases with her palpable fear.

He chuckles darkly, startling her from her train of thought. "You thought you could get away from me?" He reaches towards her and she gasps, but for some reason is unable to move. _Please, no!_ her mind pleads as he inches treacherously close. "You will _never_ get rid of me!" And with that, he clasps onto her arm harshly and she screams with everything that she is, unable to help herself and at this sick man's mercy once again.

Another blood-curdling scream erupts from her mouth and she is able to take breath, sweet breath that she thought was no longer possible for her. A bright light obscures her vision, but if it is at all affecting her, it is not apparent as her burning hot flesh comes in contact with cool metal, breaking through it with ease. Barely even grasping the fact that she is somehow _alive_ , she instantly sees red and thrashes out at the first figure in her view, a blue-haired woman who does not even seem astounded at the young medic's actions. With a swiftness and strength that Sakura thought lost, she wrenches the remaining part of the metal railing that had previously been keeping her in her bed off the hinges—wielding it as if it is her weapon— with a guttural grunt before rushing at the blue-haired lady.

An unrelenting silver gaze stares back at her and Sakura falls into a dreamless sleep, the last movement seen by the kunoichi being a quick sequence of hand signs.

* * *

A soft groan eases its way through chapped lips as pink eyelashes flutter softly. The distant beeping sound of a hospital monitor rouses her suspicion, but a gradual and escalating pain in her abdomen deters her focus. She grimaces as pain encases her entire stomach, squeezing her eyes shut tightly and willing herself not to let the agonizing whimper that wishes to seep from her mouth be heard. _Is this hell,_ she wonders internally, her head rolling gently and slowly to one side as she finally gains control over her body. The muscles in her shoulders and neck ache and scream at the relatively new sensation of moving from her previous position. As her eyes focus, she recognizes a lone brown-skinned figure sitting at a desk at the edge of the room, panic rushing through her body.

She quickly shuts her eyes, doing her best to feign slumber as she begins to regulate her breathing patterns. She had not been that loud; if she can pretend to be asleep just long enough to think of a plan and catch her bearings, she might still be able to escape.

Escape. A feat only someone _alive_ and _well_ can achieve. Sakura has seen a lot of crazy things in her day, but a fully conscious and in control deceased person coming back from the dead she has not. Hope springs into her whole being as she remembers her dream. _Narake…_ she thinks longingly. If she can get out of this, she will be able to see her son, hopefully before the Sweet Release calls her back. The sharp pain in her stomach is distracting, however. She must recall exactly who kidnapped her. She is in no shape to go toe-to-toe with an Akatsuki member, let alone a group of them. A sinking feeling soon replaces her previous optimism. How can she expect to ever see her son when the odds are so stacked against her? There is no way she could get out of here—at least not without a fight that would assuredly leave her dead or, at the very least, extremely impaired and ready for their probing.

 _Focus, Sakura,_ she chides herself inwardly. She is Konoha-nin. She is ANBU. The only thing that could possibly stop her from getting out of this place is irrational and unnecessary worrying. She needs to think of a plan, and she needs to think of it quickly. She can wait until the brown-skinned woman leaves and search for the nearest sharp object just in case she runs into someone during her escape. Her chakra might not be up to par, but Sakura's taijutsu ability has increased significantly in the past few years.

"Please don't try it. I don't feel like fighting today."

Sakura tenses instantly but quickly recovers, trying her best to keep her rising apprehension low. There is no way this woman could know that Sakura is awake. Sakura had not felt her chakra flare with surprise or curiosity when she had stirred.

Wait…

She can sense chakra again?

"You don't have to pretend to go back to sleep either. I know you're thirsty," says the brown-skinned woman in a bored tone. The young medic wants nothing more than to be angry at the woman's apathy, but now that she has mentioned it, Sakura is parched. It seems that her plan of escaping peacefully and silently has been thwarted.

She opens her eyes and uses her elbows to push herself up a bit to look at the woman's face—biting back a hiss that will give away the intense amount of pain she is in. Sharp honey-colored eyes regard her emotionlessly. Though only leaning against her arms weakly, her biceps shuddering beneath her, Sakura's posture is defensive and her gaze skeptical.

The hazel-eyed woman continues to look at the pink-haired girl expectantly, her dark skin shining in the lone light above Sakura's bed. "So, would you like that water, or…" she trails off, but Sakura continues to glare daggers at her through hard jade.

The woman sighs, clearly irritated, and then rolls her eyes, turning back to her desk and scouring lazily over her papers. "Kami, they don't pay me enough for this…" she murmurs under her breath before clearing her throat. "Listen, I know, I get it. You were captured by Akatsuki. You're tense. You're worried. But we're really not going to kill you," she says lethargically before pausing and looking off towards the wall as if considering something and shrugging. "Yet, anyway." Sakura still refuses to give the woman before her an answer so the brunette looks back at her to see the same menacing and unmoving expression on her face.

She sighs again, as if this conversation is the most tiring one she has ever had. "Sakura, I can't help if you don't—"

"Do you really think I give a fuck if you kill me?" Sakura bites out lowly, darkly. "How long have I been here?"

The woman twirls back towards her desk, a hint of amusement crossing over her countenance. She busies herself with the paperwork in front of her, obviously uninterested in the pink-haired medic at the moment. "I am under no obligation to give you that information, Sakura."

Sakura's hands clench into fists as she glares at the Akatsuki member. "I assure you I won't ask so nicely next time," she seethes.

That catches the woman's attention, and she hesitates, looking up from her paperwork, a sly smirk curling onto her plump lips. "Am I to understand that in _your_ predicament you thought it wise to threaten me?" Sakura's scowl only intensifies and the brown-skinned lady places the paper in her hands back on the desk and spins back around to face Sakura, crossing her hands over her chest, leaning back in her chair, and giving the pink-haired girl a look of utter hilarity.

"You've got balls, Haruno Sakura, I'll give you that," she scoffs before looking her once over. "You've been here a little over a week."

A week. That means that Konoha has had at least that much time to prepare to retrieve her. Have they made any moves? Will they be able to find the Akatsuki's hideout? Sakura remembers the chilly weather that shook her out of her consciousness before she fell to her conceivable death. Hopefully they know to go north. Something tells her that if ninja have been deployed already, they could have easily followed the obscene amount of blood she left behind. She wonders if they thought it necessary to even send people out. Everyone knew how close to death she had been. It does not seem worth it. But once Naruto catches wind…

"What do you want with me?" Sakura questions harshly, breaking from her train of thought.

The brown-skinned woman laughs. "Wow. You sure have a lot of questions." Examining her nails, she uncrosses her legs and smirks at the pinkette. "Like I said before, that's above my pay-grade. Konan will brief you on that later, but first—"

"Bring her in. Her chakra is too strong to hide from me," says Sakura, her eyes flickering towards the door.

The brown-skinned woman exhales deeply, her head falling back against the chair as the doorknob turns and the door opens, allowing a blue-haired lady to stroll in. The look Konan gives Sakura is staid and stanch, the majority of her bodice hidden beneath the cloak with the red clouds as she nears the pinkette.

Sakura's arm muscles begin to burn with fatigue, but she only pushes herself so that she is sitting fully upright, wincing slightly at the electric pain shooting across her abdomen.

"Tell me why I'm here," Sakura repeats, glaring at Konan.

Konan closes her sharp grey eyes before producing a bottle of water from her cloak and holding it out to Sakura. The apprentice to the Hokage stares at it for a long time, before reaching out with one hand and grabbing it, still glowering expectantly at the Akatsuki member. Sakura's prowess is in the medical field. That's about the only unique ability she has and she cannot think of anything else the Akatsuki would go out of their way to capture her for.

They have to have one hell of a medic to be able to heal her wounds and keep her alive with her being so close to death, which really puts her at a loss concerning the reason she is here. _Unless_ …and then it clicks.

Sakura chuckles dryly. "I expected better from the Akatsuki…"

Konan's impassive gaze does not falter. "What do you mean?"

"Using me as bait won't work," replies Sakura, shaking her head slightly. "My village might be spirited but they are far from stupid. You won't be able to catch the Kyuubi this way."

Konan raises a blue eyebrow before nodding. "Your Kyuubi is safe for now," she declares, and now Sakura is extremely perplexed. "Our leader needs you to heal one of his experiments. It is beyond any of our expertise," she explains listlessly. "You will start in the next week or so when your wounds are better and you will heal the experiment daily."

Sakura gives Konan a daring look, nearly sneering aloud at her confidence. "And who is to ensure that I actually do as you say?"

An almost pleased look settles into Konan's features as she turns to leave. "Don't worry. You'll be Hidan's problem," she says before walking out the door and leaving behind a fretful pink-haired kunoichi.

* * *

 **A/N:** The end of the chapter! And see, I told you there was HidanxSakura goodness to come (next chapter, that is)! I also apologize for the heavy load of SasuxSaku for all of those that are not fans of that ship, but the reason I added this love square (SakuxNaruxSasuxHidan) will become quite clear later on in the story! I'm even considering adding Sasuke as a main character in the description. Anyway, I really hope you liked it!

Please **REVIEW** and let me know anything you'd like to see happen in the story! I've got a pretty good outline, but I'm always open to suggestions! I like the challenge :D


	5. The Girl

**A/N:** Hey, y'all! Got another chapter up for you with a lot more HidaxSaku interactions! Finally! The next couple chapters will be even MORE fun! I'd like to thank everyone for reading my story, but I'd also like some more reviews if at all possible! Maybe it's just because I used to write a lot of SasuxSaku which is super popular and canon, but the HidaxSaku part of town seems a little barren 0.o lol. A little constructive criticism and a few suggestions can go a long way! I just want to know how this story is treating y'all ^_^

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto!

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter Four: The Girl**

Although it is only the fourth day that she has been conscious, Sakura is beginning to believe that help is not coming. It took Kakashi and his squad a little over a week to find her after her last mission and at least they had hope that she was still alive then. She would not be surprised if everyone thinks she is dead.

Sakura frowns, pushing around the remaining rations on her plate. At least she can guarantee herself that they are not trying to poison her. Apparently, they require her to heal their experiments. An overwhelming sense of disgust encompasses her whole being. _Experiments_. The thought of the word slithering between her lips causes bile to rise up her throat. She is a strong shinobi, and has seen a lot in her day, but the idea of torturing innocents is something she will never grow accustomed to. They will have to kill her before she agrees to continuously heal blameless human beings only to allow the Akatstuki to harm them afterwards. How many of these "experiments" prefer death just like she does? She cannot imagine.

Furthermore, within the last few days, her injuries have healed almost perfectly. She expected her health to decline when in fact it is doing the exact opposite. She has regained the ability to sense when someone is approaching her room; she readily walks around her allotted space with ease; and her appetite has returned. All of her diagnostics had assured her death by now, especially after being impaled by a large tree limb. It does not make any sense. None of it. How can they ask her to be their medic when they have someone talented enough to do the impossible? Is the cheeky brown-skinned girl the one that healed her? This theory is the most plausible seeing that Sakura has never heard of her, though it has been a long time since Sakura last opened a bingo book. Sakura often worries that the Akatsuki have ulterior motives that they do not wish to share with her yet.

She tenses a bit, shifting her eyes towards the door as she recognizes a familiar chakra signature nearing. The door opens quickly and a tall, grey-haired man stares at her intently. His lips are thin and in a straight line, his violet gaze intense despite his otherwise bored expression. His vibrant orbs shake fervently, as if the color cannot be contained within his irises; as if he will lose his hold on reality at any second. Sakura cannot help but think of Naruto when she looks into his animated gaze, but abandons those thoughts in order to shoot him a scorching glare.

"What do you want?" she snaps impatiently, eyeing him expectantly. It seems that Konan was not kidding when she said Sakura would be the Jashin worshipper's problem. Hidan routinely pops in to check on her and brings her meals. Konan often monitors her health, but any other visit it seems has been tasked to Hidan.

Hidan grimaces. "Listen, I ain't excited to see your ugly mug either," he growls before crossing his arms over his chest. "Get up. We're going outside."

Sakura sends him a calculating look. What is the purpose of this offer? She still has four days before they want her to tend to the experiments. She cannot help but be suspicious. "Fucking make me," she replies scathingly, her eyes narrowing.

Hidan rolls his eyes, groaning loudly. "Why does everything have to be so difficult with you?" he complains before sighing and turning on his heels. "Leader wants you to get some fresh air but suit yourself. I don't give a fuck," he relents, his voice waning in loudness as he continues down the hall.

Sakura hesitates, still quite wary at this very uncanny act of humanity before clenching her fists and following after him. Worst case scenario, she will at least be able to map how to get in and out of this place for when she decides to escape.

The hallway feels cold and damp, and suddenly, despite herself, Sakura wishes she were back in her room where it is at least relatively temperate. Wonder soon replaces Sakura's discomfort, however. The long corridor and Hidan's large strides allow her to realize the lack of cramping she is experiencing in her legs. Her breathing is steady and her lungs do not feel ready to burst. Sakura does not know what's worse: the fact that she has been kidnapped by the Akatsuki with no idea as to where she is or that she is so astonished that she is _alive_ , she often forgets to pay attention to her surroundings. After all, it is an oddity that she is breathing, let alone keeping up with Hidan's brisk pace.

 _What has happened to me…?_ She wonders inwardly.

Just as the medic is taking time to revel in the fact that she can flex her forgotten arm muscles, Hidan pushes open a door and bright light bombards her vision. Her forearm swiftly rises to protect her eyes as she follows Hidan into the outdoors, a warm breeze causing goosebumps to rise on her pale skin. She has almost forgotten what fresh air feels, smells, and tastes like. She is quite sure she could spend eternity out here.

Finally unsheathing her gaze, she takes a deep breath, reveling in the sight of tall, evergreen trees and shrubbery around her. She has missed the outdoors and the freeing feeling it gives her. Stepping forward slowly, her gaze wanders around the area, memorizing everything in view before her eyes lock with stern violet.

Her eyes harden and her hands rise to her hips as she gives him a reproachful glare. "What?" she snaps, feeling a strange sense of insecurity due to Hidan's watchful gaze.

He doesn't even flinch. "You have ten minutes; don't get too comfortable," he retorts, turning away from her.

Sakura bristles a bit, but relents and relaxes her muscles as her attention reverts back to the forestry around her. She is uncertain why Hidan riles her up so easily, but it is not something she wishes to dwell on. It is a little nippy outside, but Sakura welcomes the crisp air around her. Although the sun is a little less than half way through the sky, the grass below her is covered in dew which is sign of it being mid-morning. Her internal clock is a bit off as of late—this being the first time she is allowed out of the underground, concrete fortress. It might take a few times venturing outside of the hideout for Sakura to find her bearings, but she is sure that she will be able to escape in no time.

She concentrates on the small amount of chakra now coursing through her body, her breath hitching in amazement. She has no idea how this is possible. Her chakra reserves should be at nearly zero, and here she is able to move it around to different parts of her body if she concentrates hard enough. She has not felt this sense of power in months. Who did this to her? How could they possibly need her help when they have a literal magician in their ranks?

Suddenly, a large hand grips her upper arm and pulls her swiftly towards their body. She gasps, her eyes wide as she looks up at Hidan, his eyes fierce and focused on something in the distance. In order to rid her mind of the realization of how close she is to Hidan, his taut muscles pressed firmly against her body, she gazes behind her to see a kunai lodged into a tree, a thick, black substance seeping down the bark. She gulps, stiffening. Although her chakra reserves are increasing, her reflexes seem to still be below average. Attempting to escape in her condition could be problematic.

"You fucker," she hears Hidan growl, and her head whips back towards him, her neck craning and her turquoise eyes peering around him to see who had attacked them. A man with long, yellow locks and shining azure orbs approaches them, his lips curled into a playful grin. "You trying to get me in trouble?!"

Sakura forcibly shakes herself from Hidan's hold as she glares at the man walking towards them, a jovial glint in his eye. "I was just trying to gauge her reflexes, yeah," he explicates, stopping before them and eyeing the red design on her right arm. "She seems a little slow for ANBU," he insults, placing a hand on his hip before his eyes darken slightly. "And for being able to kill Sasori-danna."

Hidan scoffs, squaring his shoulders menacingly. "We get it, Deidara, you're trying to avenge that weird puppet boy," says Hidan, rolling his eyes. Deidara glares at Hidan's clear lack of respect for his late partner. "Lay off, alright. Leader will have my ass if she dies again."

"I thought you didn't care about what Leader says," rings a deep, monotonous voice behind the girl. Sakura freezes, her heart skipping a beat at the stealthy nature of the figure behind them and Hidan jumps a bit, gasping dramatically.

Sakura turns around to face a tall, green-haired man, a steady look in his yellow eyes. Sakura is quite sure she has never been this close to the plant-like shinobi, but he is larger than she had ever imagined, nearly matching Kisame in height.

"Shit!" curses Hidan through gritted teeth, his eyes fiery as he clenches his fists. Deidara laughs loudly at Hidan's expense, much to the silver-haired ex-nin's chagrin. "I swear to Jashin, Zetsu, sneak up on me like that again, I'll murder you," he threatens, aggressively shaking a fist at the bi-colored Akatsuki member.

"Well, isn't _this_ a family affair," teases a sly, womanly voice from above. Sakura's head snaps up towards the trees as the young, chocolate-skinned woman flickers into view out of thin air, her arms crossed under her voluptuous chest and her Akatsuki cloak opened and draped behind both shoulders to reveal her toned body. Sakura suddenly is more aware of her own thin and unrefined form as she crosses her arms to hide herself self-consciously.

Hidan sighs softly. "They're just coming out the woodwork today, aren't they," he grumbles to himself in an aggravated tone, rolling his eyes at the dark-haired woman.

Her petite form appears in front of them at a speed Sakura had not known possible before nodding towards the blonde. "Deidara," she greets before smirking knowingly in the pinkette's direction. "Sleeping Beauty, I see you've decided to grace us with your presence," she jeers, her artful, golden gaze glimmering in the sunlight. Sakura retains her strong, teal gaze, setting her rosy lips into a stern line.

"Kyra, you're back bright and early from your mission," says Deidara softly, his eyebrow raised in interest. "Not really like you to greet the sun, yeah."

The hazel-eyed girl sends a small hand ghosting up the back of her hair, reaching the tightly coiled curls sitting in a large puff on the top her head, her eyes closed. "Something piqued my interest," she says, looking pointedly at the pink-haired kunoichi.

Hidan clicks his tongue, placing both his hands on his hips. "What, you're just going to act like I'm not here, Kyra?" he asks, seemingly a bit offended that he had not received any morning salutations.

Kyra does not even spare him a glance, her features neutralizing. "To the best of my abilities, yes..." she replies before perking up at the sight of the green-haired Akatsuki member lurking behind Sakura and Hidan. "Ah—Zetsu, just the plant-like man I was looking for," she greets joyously, shooting him a bright grin. Zetsu merely stares back at her blandly as she reaches out an upturned hand towards him. "Now, if you could just—" Kyra's eyes widen as Zetsu begins to sink into the ground, vanishing slowly but surely.

"Wait!" she screeches, starting swiftly towards him. "I'm talking to you! I see you, you fucker! Zetsu!" At this point, Zetsu has disappeared completely and Kyra groans, stomping her foot angrily. "That little shit owes me 100 bucks!"

The blonde Akatsuki member stares at her oddly. "You are probably the only person that would have a long enough conversation with Zetsu to actually loan him 100 dollars…" says Deidara.

Kyra shrugs, grinning. "What can I say, I'm a people person." She then looks at Hidan, her features taking on a more serious vibe. "We need to go talk to Leader."

"What about?" questions the violet-eyed man. "I just spoke with him yesterday."

"The girl," responds Kyra lowly, her tone demanding. Hidan nods solemnly, and Sakura is left to wonder if she is the girl they are referring to. Steely turquoise eyes catch Hidan's and, at once a fire meant to burn her to a crisp, his gaze is now firm and tame. They look at each other longer than she thinks she can take before he turns on his heels and walks towards the compound.

"Let's get you back."

* * *

She inhales deeply, holding the breath of air until her diaphragm begins to quiver before slowly releasing the breath, her body tingling as soothing chakra alleviates the stress in her tense body. Sakura has been conscious for a total of six days now and her meditation and chakra controlling abilities have increased exponentially. Her wounds are completely healed and the only pain she ever encounters is the slight achiness in her abdomen when she wakes. The medic remembers to stretch every morning, each day marveling at her renewed sense of flexibility. Not long ago she could barely stretch her arms high enough over her head, let alone manipulate her body into a back bend in order to expand the sore muscles in her stomach.

Due to her rapid healing, Konan no longer visits her to examine her wounds. Hidan still continues to deliver her meals and take her outside, but rarely checks up on her otherwise. There is even a washroom connected to the room she is housed in so there is no need for her to roam the halls unless Hidan is taking her to the clearing. He leaves a clean towel and fresh clothes near her door when he brings her breakfast. She has even memorized the times in which he usually comes throughout the day, with breakfast being the exception. There are no windows in her room so she struggles to assess the time properly, especially the time between him picking up her dinner tray and when he drops off her breakfast tray.

A small flush crawls up Sakura's pale neck as she remembers her awkward run in with him yesterday morning. She had just risen from bed and was stretching in only her bindings and a short pair of spandex shorts when he walked in on her. She had not been focusing enough on the hallway to have sensed his arrival, and flustered, she stumbled out of her then current contortion and stared at him wide eyed. It was not just the startling nature of his entrance that stunned her, but the way he was looking at her with that scalding gaze. He had not even tried to act as if he wasn't gobbling up her scantily-clad, lithe form, his eyes unwavering and hot. Not one to usually cower under the watch of men—she had been on her fair amount of seduction missions and is for the most part content with her body, after all—Sakura cannot for the life of her understand why his probing glower affects her so much. She does not feel unsafe, and nervous is not the right word either; but she can't help but feel a bit on edge when he looks at her like that.

She can swear up and down that Hidan's eyes remind her of Naruto's, but she now realizes the error in that comparison. Naruto's eyes are comforting and inviting; full of untamed animation and fire, but warm nonetheless. Hidan's gaze _burns_ her. It is unsettling and penetrating. It undresses her whole being with fiery and forceful hands, leaving her feeling raw and exposed, and freezes her frostily in her place all at once. _What is happening to me?_ She worries silently. She shivers, shaking his strong gaze out of her mind for what seems like the twentieth time that day before focusing back on her mediation. She is clearly suffering from some sort of stir crazy related condition. She needs to escape as soon as possible.

Her roaming privileges, though under Hidan's intense surveillance, have allowed her to start recognizing and familiarizing herself with her surroundings. She is positive that she will be able to leave after her lunch today. Although the sun will be high in the sky and there will be near perfect visibility, she knows that the majority of the Akatsuki will have been sent out on their missions by then. Studying the members while outside with Hidan grants her a pretty decent, albeit limited, knowledge of the Akatsuki and how they conduct themselves. Konan either keeps to herself or is near their Leader deep within the confines of the hideout. Sakura is a bit unsure about the whereabouts of this room, but when she asked Hidan to fetch Konan due to a "sharp pain in her abdomen" (she had been fibbing, of course), it took the blue-haired shinobi approximately eight minutes to reach her room.

Kisame and Deidara tend to leave on missions early in the morning—sometime after she greets them when she is outdoors after breakfast. Kakuzu also leaves early, but on solo missions since Hidan is preoccupied as her resident babysitter and no one trusts Kakuzu with anyone mortal. Kyra often sleeps until the late afternoon and leaves for night missions. Sakura has seen Zetsu on evening patrol around the clearing she is allowed in, but usually he is off on missions as well. Sakura will be taking a big leap of faith in hoping that he is not on patrol tonight, though she will be leaving a lot earlier than he is usually outside.

Hidan is also problematic. She knows he cannot complete missions while she is present, and she has no idea what he does with his day outside of tending to her. She will just have to be very careful as to pointedly seek out his chakra when she decides to leave. She must also remember to suppress her own chakra signature, though that should be relatively easy seeing that she contains very little compared to what she once had. Every moment she has to herself, Sakura practices her chakra control. She has done a few push-ups and sit-ups to keep her muscles busy as well, but she knows it will be weeks before she could even make a slightly formidable opponent solely based on physicality. Luckily, chakra control and building are her strong points.

Sakura senses Hidan's arrival a few seconds before he opens the door, her lunch in hand. She inches open one eye to look at him as he crosses the room and sets the lunch tray on her bedside table.

"Look at you meditating. You preparin' for something special?" he inquires offhandedly, sparing her an amused look as he strolls back towards the open door.

She closes both eyes again, sighing quietly as she thinks back to their little uneasy scenario the morning before. "You should really try knocking," she recommends, ignoring his previous question. When he neither answers her nor exits the room, she opens her eyes and stares at him expectantly.

Crossing his arms, he regards her tersely. "Privacy is a privilege, not a right," he quips before smirking evilly. "And unfortunately for you, you're a prisoner. Not too many privileges come with that title."

She merely stares at him with stoic features and he lets out a menacing chuckle as he turns on his heels. "See you at dinner…or whenever," he adds, shutting the door behind him.

Although her expression is unreadable, the young medic is boiling on the inside. A harsh huff forcefully exits her nostrils before she closes her eyes again, focusing on concentrating her chakra in different parts of her body.

She cannot wait to finally be out of here and away from those blistering, violet eyes.

* * *

Sakura bites her lip in concentration as she edges open the door to her room, her breath hitching slightly as she maneuvers herself silently into the hallway. If her calculations are correct, it is around 4pm—an hour after she was allowed outdoors, 45 minutes after Kyra left for her night mission, and three hours before Zetsu would make his nightly rounds. She had been careful to monitor Hidan's chakra signature after he dropped her off and she is positive that he lives in the same wing as she does. However, his signature had dropped below the baseline around a half hour after he walked her to her quarters, which usually signifies sleep. Sakura decreases her chakra signature a little below his hoping that he will believe she is taking an afternoon nap as well as she stealthily stalks through the corridor.

Fortunately, she has not sensed anyone else meandering around the area. She blows a pink wisp of hair out of her eyes as she steps lightly but briskly, feeling a bit relieved at her ability to still remain clandestine in such an imperative situation. Sakura had almost worried that she would have the grace of an elephant at this point.

The medic seems to reach the large metal door that leads to the clearing in no time and, with one last furtive glance over her shoulder, she shoves it open slowly. The crisp spring air hits her immediately, and it takes her all to not leave the door to shut with a deafening clank and run for the hills. A lone bead of sweat slips down from her temple as she resists the urge. Lightly closing the door, she allows herself to collapse against it, her eyebrows furrowing and a small whimper crawling its way up her throat in reprieve.

The air tastes sweeter, and her muscles quiver in anticipation as she is finally liberated, but she knows very well that she is not in the clear yet. Straightening, she lifts a pale hand to wipe at her sweaty brow before pushing forward at a light jog, still cautious of her surroundings as her turquoise gaze darts around her. She wishes to take to the trees, but the spike in chakra might draw unwanted attention to her so close to the hideout. Not to mention that although her reserves are no longer depleted, it is still a strain to both concentrate on the multiple chakras around her as well as keep hers at a steady rate so that no one will be wary of any suspicious activity. Her energy will have to remain high in case she is forced to fight someone later down the road. Her throat constricts tightly at the thought. She does not stand a chance if she is caught.

 _Then don't get caught, Haruno_ , her mind reprimands, and her lips harden into a line as she pushes herself to get as far as possible from the Akatsuki base, focusing on finally seeing Naruto and her son again.

After jogging for what seems like a half hour, Sakura feels that she is most certainly far enough away from the base to take a large breath of air, relaxing her shoulders a bit. Upon observation, she realizes that she is somewhere north of the Land of Fire. The air feels damp, but still chillier than it usually is around this time in Konoha. The multiple rivers and ponds that litter the area bring her to believe that she is near the Village Hidden in the Waterfalls.

 _Interesting,_ she ponders. _And here I thought their only hideout was in Ame…_

At least if the pink-haired woman is where she thinks she is, she can rest easy knowing that this village is neither allies nor enemies of the Leaf. She should be safe.

She lets out a haggard breath as she realizes her energy is waning. She is thirsty and tired, and no longer accustomed to expending so much energy at one time. Her jog slows to a tired walk as she nears a stream cautiously, checking her surroundings fervently. When she is sure she is not being followed by any Akatsuki, she approaches the stream, dropping to her knees wearily, her fingernails digging into the soft riverbed. Her chest is burning as she closes her eyes and pushes herself to regain her composure, focusing on her breathing.

She licks her dry lips, moistening them before scoffing at her weakness. She cannot wait to have her full endurance back again. The fact that she keels over after a mere thirty minute jog is pathetic and laughable and if she has to spend her next few months training with Lee again, then she'll do it.

As she finally catches her breath, her eyes flutter open and her hands reach into the cool stream as she shudders in respite, splashing it in her face a few times before bringing it to her lips and drinking the icy liquid. If she had time, she would want nothing more than to delve into the cold waters, but she knows she must get going soon.

Suddenly, the hair on her neck stands on end as she senses a presence behind her. She whips her head around, eyes wide and fist clenching ready for a fight before staring into surprised chocolate orbs.

"Haruno Sakura…?" murmurs the voice warily, and she allows her fisted hand to fall slack beside her body, rising from her crouching position to stare with a raised eyebrow at the figure who knows her by name. Before her is young man that looks about her age with dark brown eyes, shaggy black hair, and an average build. He looks at her in amazement, leading her to believe there is no way he is shinobi.

She is still breathing heavily as she eyes him carefully. "Do I…know you?" she asks quietly and he noticeably gulps, seeming to shake himself out of a stupor.

"I…no!" he responds frantically, holding his hands in front of him defensively. "I just…you're the apprentice to the Hokage, revered ANBU captain, one of the best medics the shinobi world has ever known..." She merely stares at him with confused teal orbs as he stammers in front of her, a bright flush coming to his cheeks. "Your squad leader was Hatake Kakashi. Your teammates were Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke, I mean…" He rubs the back of his neck, laughing sheepishly. "You have to get this all the time. You're practically a living legend!"

Sakura stands motionless, regarding him wordlessly, but she can tell that her stature is still intimidating to him by the way he is squirming under her gaze. Of all the places to meet her first fan it is in the middle of the forest as she tries to escape the Akatsuki.

She opens her mouth to speak before her eyes flicker to the side as she senses a familiar chakra approaching. Her turquoise watch trains suspiciously on the boy as she eyes him up and down. He is beaming as he looks upon her, and as his mouth opens to speak again, she is on him, her hand clasped firmly against his lips.

Sakura moves her face close to his, a small, muffled yelp exiting his mouth as she stares emphatically into his frightened, brown eyes. "You say you know my work?" she whispers harshly, and he nods eagerly, trembling slightly beneath her forceful hold. "Then you'll be more than willing to help me."

* * *

Hidan drops silently from a tree, his scythe glinting dangerously in the setting sun and his wild indigo eyes gleaming treacherously. "You must be a special kind of stupid," he snarls as he stomps into the clearing. Sakura holds her ground, glaring at the ex-nin as her blood pumps loudly in her ears, deafening and hot. "You _do_ know there's a ninjutsu shield around the hideout, right?" he questions, raising a silver eyebrow.

She only narrows her eyes stubbornly before he eyes the young man standing a few feet away from her, his teeth chattering in apparent fear. The silver-haired man looks between the two before smirking, his hand slowly edging towards his scythe. "You made a friend…" he seethes sardonically.

Sakura takes a hesitant step forward, reading Hidan's mind. "Hidan, don't!" But she is too late as the Akatsuki member is taking off towards the boy, his scythe in hand. The pink-haired medic's mouth stands ajar as she watches the scene play out before her: the wild, blood-lusting grin etching its way into Hidan's features; the frightful, wide-eyed look of the young boy as he cringes away from his quickly approaching fate.

Although she is low on chakra, she cannot allow this to happen. She grits her teeth, pushing chakra to her feet and flickering in front of the boy, eyes a determined apple green as she falls into a defensive stance mere seconds before Hidan impales them both.

"No!" she orders loudly as he pauses before her, scythe suspended threateningly above his head. "I won't let you do this." Sakura can feel the trembling boy behind her let out a long breath as she locks gazes with harsh violet.

He lowers his weapon slowly. "Move the fuck out of the way, kunoichi. No one is supposed to know you're here. You did this to yourself," he grounds out gruffly.

Pink eyebrows furrow in concentration as she stands gradually out of her low stance, still squaring up with the ex-nin before her. "You don't need to do that," she says lowly, deliberately, almost pleading as she stares maddeningly into his eyes. She is no stranger to the cruel world of the shinobi, and she knows she put them all at risk by fraternizing with this man.

He takes a step closer to her and glares down at her 5'4'' physique, angry heat rolling off of him and burning her insides. Her breath catches firmly in her throat and it takes her everything not to cower and shiver under his daunting stature as he looks at her with those searing hot coals he calls eyes.

"I won't ask you again, Haruno," he threatens evilly. Sakura's mouth feels dry and her heart rate increases dramatically. She positions herself so that she has a protective hand on the young man's chest, her other hand reaching out to block Hidan's path to him.

She searches through his eyes. "I've got it," she promises and she notices that Hidan backs down, if only a little bit. Keeping her watchful gaze on Hidan, she tentatively moves until she is behind the boy, her hands slowly but steadily rising to his temples.

The black-haired man gasps as he feels soothing chakra entering his body, but Sakura's eyes are still locked on Hidan's, requesting his patience.

"It's okay," she whispers tenderly. "You're not going to remember me when you wake up. I'm sorry," she says gently as he begins to slump against her body, falling asleep. She looks down at his weakening form as she gingerly lowers him to the ground, now kneeling under his unconscious body. Her eyes softly regard his relaxed face before her firm, teal gaze rises back to Hidan.

He is quiet for a while, his lips in a stern line before he sheathes his weapon, closing his eyes with a short sigh. "You are outrageously predictable."

She is taken aback by his comment, her eyes narrowing in confusion. "What?" she pants breathlessly.

"I knew you were going to attempt to escape probably before you knew it yourself," he says, crossing his arms over his chest. "The only unpredictable thing I've ever seen you do is bite me that night you fell."

Sakura fumes under his listless stare. She is _predictable_? Well, her pride has certainly been damaged. "So you think I should fight you," she says tentatively, still holding his gaze firmly. Would that be unpredictable enough for him? They both understand how low her chakra reserves are. It would all be from brute force and will.

He sighs, taking a few steps forward. "I'm telling you to be less unpredictable, not stupid."

She scoffs, moving the young, sleeping man so that he is lying on the grass. "Stupid…" she murmurs thoughtfully, busying herself with her task and refusing to look him in the eye. "You mean the kind of stupid someone has to be to not recognize they're speaking to a clone?"

He pauses, raising an eyebrow. "…huh?" he mumbles, before a "poof" is heard and the Sakura he believed he was talking to disappears.

He stands stationary before growling loudly and stopping his foot childishly against the ground. "Fuck!"

* * *

Sakura grits her teeth as she pushes the remnants of her chakra to her feet, flying through the trees as swiftly as possible. This is bad. She should have been more careful and conserved her chakra—holding such a convincing clone for so long while masking her own chakra signature had been taxing—but it seems she had no choice. Fighting Hidan at that moment in time just was not an option, especially with the boy there. He would have surely ended up as collateral damage and Sakura is not sure she could live with that. "Tch!" she scoffs, frowning in concentration, every cell of her being screaming for rest. There is no way that she could continue at this speed long enough to reach Konoha in one piece. Even in her best shape she still took breaks.

Sakura gasps, her eyes widening as she senses an approaching figure. She skillfully flips aerially, landing sideways on a tree in a crouching position as a barrage of kunai impale the bark right below her. She quickly whips her head up just in time to see Hidan poised above her, his scythe at the ready and his eyes untamed and fiery.

The medic parries his attack, landing lithely on the ground, and he joins her, huffing out an angered growl as he stands a few meters in front of her. Sakura, usually serious and unfazed in battle, cannot help but crack a triumphant smirk at his frazzled demeanor, her chest rising and lowering rapidly as she attempts to catch her breath.

She raises a pink eyebrow. "How does it feel to be tricked by an out-of-commission kunoichi?" she taunts and he snarls lowly.

"Shut the fuck up!" he explodes savagely, a feral glimmer in his indigo gaze. "Your ass is mine now!"

Sakura's eyes narrow slightly, her teasing grin dropping from her pink lips. She wishes his words didn't ring so true. This is exactly what she was trying to avoid. Her body shakes anxiously as she taps into the last of her draining chakra, falling slowly into a fighting stance.

Shock runs briefly through Hidan's eyes, before he glares at her. "What the fuck are you doing?"

"Being less predictable," she answers curtly, her turquoise gaze shimmering with determination and focus.

"I thought we agreed that this was just plain stupid."

Her resolve hardens as she continues to glare at him, understanding that this could very well be the end of her. _True kunoichi to the bitter end…_ This mantra runs through her head, again and again until she is literally itching to fight him.

"We never really _did_ agree on anything in the first place, did we?" And with that, she advances on his speedily, throwing a swift punch his way of which he dodges effortlessly. She refuses to ease up, crouching down and swinging her leg around her before jumping into the air and delivering a roundhouse kick directly to his face which he blocks, pushing her away from him and bounding away.

She slides backwards, sending dust flying all around her before regaining her footing and running back towards him with a battle cry. She wants nothing more than to deliver several chakra-filled punches to the Akatsuki member's smug countenance, but she is more than aware of the depletion of her chakra reserves. If she keeps this up, she might be lucky enough to find an opening and punch him into next year giving her a little more time to escape and find help. Until then, she will have to continue to assess his fighting style and probably receive a few hits herself.

Luckily her shishou thought to teach her the art of avoidance. She knows that all Hidan needs to do is get a bit of her blood on his weapon and she is done for. She slides on her knees, bending back so that her head nearly touches her heels as the scythe flies over her, narrowly missing her bodice by a few millimeters before she back flips out of the position and recovers. His style is wild and free, and with her scrappy taijutsu, she is almost evenly matched. She then realizes that he is not trying to kill her but detain her and she wonders what he would look like with the signature bloodlust in his eye. As of now, he only looks slightly aggravated.

He heaves his weapon out towards her and she does a front tuck over it, speeding towards him and fitting in a few aerial kicks before being forced to duck as the scythe returns from behind her—and there she sees it. That is her opening. In the split, hesitant second it takes for him to get his weapon back in his hand and under control, she is sending a chakra-filled punch his way. He quickly steps out of the way of it before grabbing her upper arm and chucking her roughly into the nearest tree.

She rams into it with a loud and guttural grunt, a dent remaining where she had bounced off of the trunk. Every inch of her body is throbbing in agony and she is certain that the nerves in her upper arm are all crushed. She opens her eyes wearily, a pained moan slipping through her lips as blood drips from her nostrils and down towards her mouth. As her vision comes into focus, she sees Hidan walking towards her and presses her trembling hand to the ground in order to lift herself up. Every bone in her body instructs her to give up, but she only grits her teeth, shuts her eyes tightly and pushes harder, but to no avail.

Hidan is finally in front of her and he snorts. "Give it up already…" he says, kneeling down to her level. Her insides tighten as she realizes he isn't even breathing hard. He leans in, his face nearly touching her own. "Now can we finally agree on how stupid you are?" he questions and then rises. A boot nears her face swiftly and then there is darkness.

* * *

When she woke up three days prior, she had expected a throbbing headache and for a lump the size of a golf ball to have risen on her forehead, but she neither ached nor had a scratch on her. Sakura eyes herself in the mirror in amazement, her hand gliding across her smooth—now full—cheek. She is beginning to put her weight back on in all the right places, but the young kunoichi attributes that to her new diet. It took her friends' everything to get her to eat even one meal a day when she was home, now she readily eats three, well-rounded meals with a protein, a vegetable, and a carb always included. Sakura briefly wonders who cooks the meals. The food isn't always flavorful, but it is hot and filling. She had almost forgotten what it felt like to be satisfied and substantially fueled after a meal. Eating once felt like a chore.

Sakura finishes dressing herself just in time for the door to her room to swing open, a silver-haired ninja entering. She stares at him plainly as he crosses his arms over his broad chest, motioning his head toward the outdoors. "Let's go," he commands shortly, and Sakura looks at him a bit longer before walking out the door to come face to face with the chocolate-skinned girl.

Golden eyes shimmer craftily at the pinkette before the busty woman smiles as they all begin walking toward the exit. Kyra sighs tiredly, throwing her head back dramatically as her hands rub relaxingly into her lower back. She clicks her tongue, pouting after a disgruntled whine. "I'm so _exhausted_. Why are we going so early?" she gripes, glaring at nothing in particular.

Hidan rolls his eyes. "You literally complain about everything, Chocolate Chip. Why don't you put your mouth to better use and actually finish those night missions of yours a little quicker. You wouldn't be so tired then." He smirks at the girl wickedly while waggling his eyebrows suggestively and earns a swift punch in his ribs. He grunts, faltering a bit before regaining his previous walking speed.

"Shut the fuck up!" she roars, shaking a fist in his direction.

He doesn't retort—which Sakura attributes to the silver-haired man actually realizing he deserved the attack—merely snorting at the girl and mumbling heatedly and incoherently under his breath.

Sakura scoffs. "Do you have a nickname for everyone?" she asks, a bit surprised that she voiced something she had, in hindsight, meant to keep to herself.

He glances over his shoulder at her, smirking devilishly. "Only the ones I like, Pinky," he says, pushing open the door to the outside and allowing the two women to walk out in front of him. Sakura grimaces at the cliché pet name Hidan had taken up to calling her. She recalls that the first time he had referred to her as such she had tried—and failed—to send him through a wall, still a bit on edge after their first fight. _At least it's better than Strawberry Shortcake,_ she reasons with herself, reminiscing on Hidan's first failed attempt at gifting her with a nickname. Either way, she only hopes the man tires of this new name relatively soon.

The walk to the lab is long and dark as they for the most part beat the sun before it slowly rises above the horizon. Apparently, the person she will be healing was experimented on throughout the night and needed her assistance as soon as possible. Sakura silently hopes that this "experiment" is not in as bad of shape as it seemed when Hidan woke her in the early hours of the morning and urged her to get ready to leave promptly. As they reach their destination, Kyra splits off down a separate corridor in the underground hideout and Sakura's inquisitiveness is easily perceived by Hidan.

"She's just here to make sure the lab facilities are clean and in good condition. She's a retired experiment herself so she doesn't like being near the girl. Makes her feel guilty," explicates Hidan as he leads her up a stairwell and into a control room with a two-way window looking down upon another room with a long, white table in the middle of it. On the table is a small, black-haired girl, four men in lab coats standing staunchly around her. A large, circular machine suspends dauntingly above the girl, purple electricity illuminating it treacherously.

"What is that?" questions Sakura, her eyes not straying from the large, frightening piece of machinery.

Hidan's hands are reverentially linked behind his back and his face is uncharacteristically solemn. "Don't ask," he responds tersely.

Suddenly, the globular machine lowers slowly upon the girl and the voltage skyrockets as a piercing and blood-curdling scream rings through the air and stuns Sakura, the pinkette's mouth falling agape in horror as she stares on at the atrocious sight in front of her. Just when she believes the shriek will stop, it only climbs another octave as the purple lightning intensifies nearly blinding her.

"Make it stop…" Sakura whispers distantly before whipping her head in Hidan's direction. "Make it stop, Hidan!" she repeats crossly. He ignores her, his eyes bland and his features stony as the torture continues. Sakura's eyes travel across the control panel, finally landing on a big, green button that opens the sliding door leading out of the control panel and onto a railed-off balcony on the same level as the control center.

She slams her fist on the button, stealthily maneuvering her hand under Hidan's cloak and grabbing at a kunai before he can even grasp what's happening.

"Hey!" he shouts, reaching out a hand to stop her and growling when she quickly ducks out of the way of his appendage and darts out of the room.

She runs up to the railing, hands gripping the metal firmly as she glares down at the four men. They look up at her blankly save for an older man who seems more concerned with jotting notes down on his clipboard.

"Let her out of there!" she commands, narrowly dodging Hidan as he tries to capture her again. The men ignore her and Sakura growls, leaping over the one-story ledge and landing gracefully on the floor below. Her heart is pumping loudly in unrestricted rage as her furious gaze sets on the unfazed men before her.

"Get back up here!" shouts Hidan, but this time it is Sakura's turn to disregard him.

The young girl's screams have now turned into muddled and pleading sobs and whimpers and Sakura can no longer hold in her anger. She is certain she is seeing red. "This is the last time I'll tell you to _let her go_ ," she threatens through gritted teeth.

The older looking man finally tears his eyes away from his clipboard to stare listlessly at the girl before sighing and focusing back on his work, walking back towards the machine. "You have no business being down here, girl. Hiroto, Daiki, deal with it."

Two of the larger looking men in lab coats approach her as her fists clench. She does not care to fight them when that little girl is being tortured right before her eyes. She speeds off towards the first man, easily dodging his sluggish punch. Bounding off of a large, concrete column, she roundhouse kicks him square in the jaw with a grunt, not even sparing him a glance as he flies across the room instantly falling unconscious. Her next opponent, attempting to take advantage of her occupation with the first man, sloppily flings his arms out to grab her. The ANBU gracefully ducks beneath his arms, sending a powerful uppercut to his jaw. He stumbles back as blood shoots from his nose, but be it because of his burly stature or his refusal to lose to what he believes is a no-name kunoichi, he stays standing.

He jabs at her, and Sakura sidesteps, grabbing his arm and using it as leverage to swing herself upward so that she is able to wrap her legs around his neck and hold him in a headlock. He panics, beginning to scratch at her legs, but she does not budge, instead clasping her hands together and bringing her elbows down hard on his head. He falls with a yelp and she maneuvers her body so that she is pinning him face down, a hand behind his back and a kunai cutting into the nape of his neck. She digs her knee into his back before bending down so that her breath is hot on his ear. "Stay down," she orders, before hopping off of him and leering straight into the older man's now frightened gaze. The young, skinny man next to him also seems alarmed.

"Turn the machine off or I'll snap your neck," seethes Sakura and the man finally relents, pressing a series of buttons as the purple electricity fades. Sakura hurriedly walks up to the machine, sending a glance at Hidan to witness that he is merely watching her with hard, purple eyes.

Her eyes narrow in confusion, but she does not question his hesitance to restrain her for long before she pulls up the spherical machine to examine the young girl. Her teal gaze softens instantly as she views lithe, pale features. Long, tangled black hair sticks to the young girl's sweaty brow, and small, purple bruises and scars dot her skinny arms and legs. Dark bags have formed under her closed eyes and her eyebrows are knit together in evident pain. The young girl's eyes open slightly and Sakura gasps at being confronted with pupil-less, lavender eyes, small rings permeating outwards from the center.

 _The Rinnegan!_

Sakura shakes herself from her stupor as a small, nearly inaudible whimper slips through chapped lips. Pink eyebrows furrow in sympathy as she places a hand on the girl's warm forehead, hastily beginning to check her vitals. "What's your name, sweetie?" she asks softly, pressing two fingers to the young girl's bony wrist to feel for her pulse.

The girl is quiet for a while before she closes her eyes again. "Natsumi," she answers. Sakura had merely asked to try and keep the young, pale girl from falling asleep as she begins pushing healing chakra into her vital organs to stabilize the dying girl.

Sweat is now forming on Sakura's brow as she concentrates on fixing the near broken child. "You're going to be okay, Natsumi, just try to stay with me." A sigh of relief flows from the apprentice to the Hokage's lips as the girl's breathing becomes more fluid. She had been worried that her lungs would give out at any second. As Sakura furthers her treatment, the young girl begins to fall into a comfortable slumber, but upon assessing her vitals, the medic as well as the humanitarian in Sakura is furious. Her hands fall from Natsumi's body as she begins breathing hard. She has just spent a lot of chakra and all she has done is assured that the young girl will not die today. Her organs are that of a 100 year old woman, her muscles over-exerted and torn to shreds. She is malnourished and feverish; Sakura is surprised she has made it thus far. She feels a presence next to her and knows it is Hidan.

She cannot look at him. She cannot face a man that would allow this to happen. A long, harsh breath flows through her nostrils as she closes her eyes somberly. "She's fine now, but she won't be for long." She pauses, mulling over her next words carefully. "I don't care what you have to do to me, but I refuse to be a pawn in continuing your experiments. It compromises everything I swore against when I became a medic." She finally looks at him, her eyes hard and stern. "Find another medic. I'm done."

Hidan glares right through Sakura. His gaze is terse, but controlled. "You think it's that easy to quit, huh?" he inquires fleetingly.

"Her cortisol levels are too high," explains Sakura, gesturing to the girl. "Almost all of her organs are on their last leg. She's extremely stressed out. No one should have to work under these conditions."

Hidan raises a silver eyebrow. "You're saying her living conditions are too _stressful_? Are you fucking kidding me? Not everyone had the cushioned life you Konoha nin did," he bites out, looking her up and down in disdain.

Infuriated, Sakura thinks back to her last mission, her taut body shaking uncontrollably. "You know nothing about me," she spats vehemently before looking down at the young girl in pity. "As I said, I healed her to the best of my abilities, but I refuse to be a part of this moving forward."

Hidan places his hands on his hips, his eyes narrowing as he stares down the pink-haired kunoichi silently. "Kyra!" he calls. "Get the girl." Kyra flickers down to them seemingly out of nowhere as she leans down to lift the girl into her arms. Sakura swiftly holds an arm out over her protectively, glaring holes through the quick kunoichi.

"Sakura," says Kyra in the softest voice she had ever heard coming from the girl, her eyes strong and sincere. "I've got her," she whispers, giving her a reassuring look. Sakura falters, before finally retreating and Kyra exits speedily with the girl.

Sakura turns back on the tall man, her eyes gleaming with determination. "She has a name."

"It's best not to get attached," says Hidan, closing his eyes.

Sakura's glare intensifies as she takes an aggressive step towards Hidan, her lips thinning angrily. "By referring to her as you would any other _human being_?" she asks, her voice rising with each word.

Hidan sighs. "I'm not going to fucking argue with you any further, kunoichi. You will periodically heal her as asked or—"

"Or what?" Sakura challenges, cutting him off. "You'll kill me? Well fucking kill me. I already died long ago and I am still ANBU. I only answer to my Kage." She is done with these games. She should have died long ago anyway. She would honestly rather death than to carry out the Akatsuki's bidding.

"Don't you think I would have killed your ass already if I could?" growls Hidan, the wild finally springing back into his violet orbs. Sakura suddenly feels rejuvenated again, anger rolling off of her in waves.

"Then I'm sure your leader would be happy to off me for you!" she shouts.

"He can't either, you dumbass!" Hidan snarls. Once again, Sakura is left to wonder why the Akatsuki need her so badly that they allow her to mouth off and act out without so much as striking her down. She literally tried to escape and the worst she got was a kick to the face. No one has tried to interrogate her and they clearly have someone that is capable of healing her to the point where she can nearly hold her own against an S-class Akatsuki member when she could not even feed herself two weeks ago. Sakura might be a talented medic, but her only real specialty is her Ninja Art Creation Rebirth jutsu, which is near useless due to the depletion of her chakra reserves. Even if she were able to access it, it is not long-term and it isn't something she can just _teach_ someone. She might have her ass handed to her by the majority of the Akatsuki, but when it comes to advanced chakra control and medical techniques, she and her shishou are rivaled by no one.

If even the Akatsuki's leader won't get rid of her, she is left to only one option. She swallows to wet her dry throat. "Then I'll kill myself," she tests, her voice wavering slightly. As ANBU, she has mastered a number of suicide jutsus for capturing situations much like this one. If ever exposed to any sort of interrogation, employing one of these jutsus would in turn activate a seal that would lock away any knowledge she has of the Leaf so that her enemies cannot delve into her memory even once she is gone. Although Sakura seems nervous, her eyes are steady and she had met her resolve long ago when she first encountered the Sweet Release. Death does not scare her.

Hidan is shaking his head back and forth when she finally focuses in on him, and she raises an eyebrow perplexed. "You don't get it do you…?" he says under his breath, scoffing before training his intense gaze on her. "You're immortal."

Sakura's eyes widen suddenly, her breath hitching in her throat. "I'm…what?" she questions breathlessly, warily; her knees threatening to buckle underneath her at any moment.

Hidan smirks devilishly at her apparent shock, chuckling to himself. "You know what they say about what doesn't kill you, Pinky…"

Sakura continues to stare at him with wide, beryl eyes, absolutely speechless and undoubtedly bewildered. She gulps, suddenly wishing she were dead.

* * *

 **A/N:** Well there it is! Seems that Sakura is just like Hidan now! We'll see what that entails in the next chapter. And a big HaHa to the nicknames I use for Hidan. Chocolate Chip is a name my father gave my little sister when we were kids for her beautiful dark skin which is something she and Kyra in this story share. Strawberry Shortcake is the nickname my father gave me, probably because I'm the lightest person in the house which is something I share with Sakura lol. Either way, I'm glad I got to use them. Pinky will do for now though.

Please remember to **REVIEW!** I worked really hard and only got three hours of sleep in order to get this out for you. I have a proposal due tomorrow and two essays due for my class by the end of tonight! It's pretty fucking bad right now lol but I really was going to be sad if I couldn't stick to my two week rule! Anyway, please feel free to ask me questions, share with me your concerns or theories for what will happen, comment on the relationships forming or the OC Kyra, give me constructive criticism, or just say hi! I love hearing from my readers! It's one of my favorite parts about writing on this site :D

Alright, ta-ta for now!


	6. Urges

**A/N:** Hello, everyone! I am soooo sorry for getting this up so late, but I had a lot going on towards the end of my research program including a poster, a paper, a powerpoint, and much more regarding my project. It was intense. Add in the fact that I'm also studying for MCAT and you'll see that I barely even had time for sleep. Luckily, I went on vacation with my family right after and was able to write the majority of this chapter.

Ah, so much to say, so little time to write my author's note until I start boring y'all. I just wanted to answer some more anon reviewer questions, etc. So, for one, I am so HAPPY y'all like my OC, Kyra! She is definitely my favorite OC I've written to date! Next, I know one of you (or possibly a couple) were interested in knowing what happened to Sakura concerning her last mission. While it's not a secret, I think I mostly have it planned that I will reveal what happened little by little in the following chapters. If that doesn't go as planned, I will try to commit a chapter to it.

As for how Sakura became immortal, that will be revealed in THIS chapter. Concerning her relationship with Naruto and how it started, idk if this story will touch on that, but I'll see what I can do.

Anyway, sorry for such a long author's note! I just don't want anyone to be confused unless I specifically want to keep you in the dark about something! Thanks so much for the reviews, y'all! I love hearing from you :D

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!**

Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter Five: Urges**

The final handful of thin, pink tresses falls to the ground before Sakura places the scissors Kyra had allowed her to borrow on the bathroom counter. Exhaling deeply, turquoise eyes stare at her reflection, not even recognizing the woman before her. Her lips are a rosy pink again, her eyes bright pools of teal liquid very different from the once lackluster shade of green they had been for the past year. There is not a single wrinkle or blemish on her face and her cheeks are soft and tinted pink again. Although her skin has always been rather pale, it is no longer ghastly so. And now, her once long and tangled hair has been cut short into the shoulder length bob she wore when she was younger, the new growth thick and full and shiny. Her eyes trail down her body and land on her breasts that now seem almost abnormally round and perky. Her stomach is taut and flat without having done enough sit ups to warrant even a decent amount of tone. Her thighs are lean, but full; her butt firm and soft at the same time.

 _Who am I…_ she wonders inwardly. She cannot even remember a time that she looked _this_ good. She knows she is considered relatively good looking by many people at home and her body had been in great shape due to her rigorous training regimen, but this is something else.

She cleans the hair off of the bathroom counter, throwing it in the trash before taking one last fleeting glance at herself in the mirror, pushing her hair behind her ears and walking back into the bedroom.

She stretches her arms above her head as she languidly strolls toward the clothes laid out on her bed. A familiar chakra garners her attention and, before she can hurry over to lock her door, dark purple eyes once again devour her near naked form.

Sakura pauses, her eyes widening as Hidan's burning gaze travels up her naked legs, past her panties, over her pale, toned stomach, across her naked breasts only hidden from his view by her arms, up her constricting neck, lingering on her lips, and then rests hungrily on flustered, teal orbs. A sly smirk slithers across his lips and Sakura is left frozen solid, stunned and pinned by those orbs that have ravished her fully.

"You cut your hair," he finally says, his voice hinting at amusement.

Sakura finally snaps out of her daze, fishing for words. "I…yes," she stammers, blushing crimson before her eyes narrow. "Just…get out! I'm sick and tired of you always walking in on me!" she shouts and he chuckles evilly, his eyes lustfully roaming over her body once more.

"Sure thing, Pinky," he says, grabbing the doorknob. "Just come out when you're ready. Leader needs to speak to you." And he closes the door, leaving Sakura to let out a long, hard breath she didn't even know she had been holding. Her whole body is warm after being regarded so maddeningly by his scorching gaze. A weird feeling begins to form in the pit of her stomach and she is not sure that it is because she will finally come face to face with the new Akatsuki leader.

* * *

Sakura feigns confidence as she follows Hidan through the dark corridors. She forces herself to not fidget with the hem of her tank as she fights the urge to chew on her bottom lip, narrowing her green eyes in determination. She knew this time would come, but she definitely is not prepared for it. She will speak to their leader today, a person that Konoha knows very little about following the death of Pein. Although concerned about who the whole of Akatsuki believes powerful enough to lead them, Sakura is mostly worried that meeting with this person will compromise her status as a committed and loyal Konoha nin. What if this person is to tell her classified information? Try and use her to do his or her bidding? She has absolutely no way to relay this information to Konoha and it would look rather suspicious if she seems to be traveling around with the Akatsuki willingly.

Sakura shakes these thoughts from her head, clenching her fists firmly by her side. She needs to calm herself. Nothing is certain yet and she can be pretty persuasive when she needs to be.

 _And how exactly do you plan to persuade the leader of Akatsuki, Sakura?!_ Her inner self berates tersely.

She nearly growls aloud, squashing down her anxious thoughts. _We'll get there when we get there…_ she reasons, finding her resolve.

Before Sakura is a large, three-story archway that leads into a cave-like room, the only sound to be heard is the dripping of moisture from the rocks and the soft beating of her own worried heart.

"Try to be a little more polite than you usually are, Haruno," warns Hidan lowly before they enter, his violet gaze still facing forward. He then looks over his shoulder sternly. "Leader won't be as forgiving as I am," he says and then walks into the room.

Sakura's glare intensifies, her breath catching instantly in her throat. She hesitates a bit, before following him into the room, her head held high.

The room is dark and foreboding, and as she cranes her head a little to each side, she sees the outline of various figures wearing their Akatsuki cloaks. Her eyes train on the large, stone chair before her sitting higher than the other seats. Her head slowly tilts up and her heart stops as her teal instantly meets both a red pinwheel and the hypnotizing purple and onyx that is the Rinnegan. Sakura freezes, her stomach dropping at the idea of standing before someone so seemingly powerful.

 _Who could possibly…?_

"I finally get to meet you in person, Haruno Sakura. I hope that your stay here has been bearable," echoes a strong voice through the chamber. The ominous figure stands and steps forward, allowing the small amount of light within the rocky edifice to illuminate his features. Sakura's eyes trail along pale skin and dark hair—features that are startlingly similar to her impassive old teammate.

But this cannot be Madara. From the tales alone, Sakura knows his chakra and overall demeanor to be suffocating. And this man does not possess the deep hollows beneath his eyes as she had seen Madara with in his portraits. _He seems young too…_ It is a stretch, but Sakura is almost positive that she is somehow standing before Uchiha Obito.

"Do you know who I am, Haruno Sakura?" asks the Uchiha softly, raising an obsidian eyebrow.

Sakura's eyes narrow tersely. "Only from Kakashi," she says curtly and she tenses noticing the instant downturn of Obito's lips. As she silently stares at Obito, Sakura wonders how a man long thought dead is sitting before her, but then almost scoffs aloud as she realizes _she_ should be dead herself, and here she is stronger than she has been in a year. _Nothing makes sense anymore…_

"Ah, you are one of the infamous Copy Nin's students, aren't you?" The medic doesn't reply, allowing her stern features to answer for her. "Figures. I've heard you've been quite troublesome as of late, Sakura." She vaguely hears Hidan's indignant scoff in the distance. Fortunately, Obito continues to talk as Sakura is not quite sure how she would even respond.

The Uchiha breaks eye contact with her as he laces his hands behind his back, slowly albeit deliberately, walking down the steep steps at the top of which his large, stone chair resides. "I assume that they've already told you why you're here and filled you in on your little… _situation_." Sakura stays quiet as he nears her, locking her knees in place so they do not buckle beneath her. "Because of that I only brought you here to assure that you understand where we stand."

His mismatched set of orbs catch her turquoise set as he comes to stand right in front of her. He is about a half foot taller than her and she holds her breath in order to seem unshaken. Obito pauses, taking in her tough demeanor before he scoffs, a small smirk curling across his lips. "Not even a single shiver…" he marvels, grabbing her right arm firmly. She instinctively makes a move to shake herself free but hesitates when his calloused fingers flutter over her ANBU tattoo. He then looks her right in the eye, his hand still securely fastened to her arm. "Did Kakashi-sensei teach you that _impressive_ poker face, too?"

Sakura stiffens, instantly growing defensive at Obito's tendency to jab at her old sensei. He finally releases her arm, and she takes a deep breath as he begins to circle her. "You said you wanted to make sure I know where we stand..." she recalls expectantly, her eyes reverentially forward.

"Yes," he says, closing his eyes and climbing back up the stairs. "I feel that I have been more than fair concerning your treatment here, Sakura. Three hot meals a day, at least an hour a day of fresh air, no punishments for your rather ambitious escape attempt…" Hidan's dry guffaw is so loud this time, even Obito spares him a punitive look. "With that, you will continue to heal the experiment to the absolute best of your abilities, you will _not_ have any contact with Konoha and you will accompany the Akatsuki members of my choosing on a number of their missions as their medic."

A sour look takes over the young kunoichi's face at the man's final command. "No," she says lowly, a cold sweat instantly forming over her whole body under Obito's cold stare. "I will not. I agree to helping with the former, but I will not compromise my relationship with the Leaf," Sakura continues definitively. It is eerily quiet for what seems like too long as Obito looks at her with distaste.

"I'm afraid you do not have a choice, Haruno Sakura. We wouldn't want anything awful happening to you or your beloved village…"

Sakura's eyes narrow as she grasps for words. She is no longer willing to compromise, and he should not be either. "You have to keep me around," she says through gritted teeth. "You have to stay on my good side. I might not know your full plan, but I know it entails keeping that girl alive which only I can do. I'm too strong right now. Stronger than you." All of the sudden, Sakura wishes that she weren't so bold. What was she thinking? Challenging someone possessing _two_ of the most powerful doujutsus known to the ninja world when she knows the Akatsuki is not the type of organization that would take the moral high ground if ever crossed.

She must remember that she has a _child_ now. She never had the chance to go on treacherous missions after having him, but Narake isn't Naruto, Sasuke, or even Konohamaru. He cannot even begin to protect himself if ever the Akatsuki were to take out their differences with her on her village or her son. For once, she will have to mind her tongue. Her spunky, inner self is less than pleased.

"That big mouth of yours will do you no good come winter, Haruno Sakura," threatens Obito gruffly. Sakura's harsh glare falters if only for a second and the Uchiha is easily able to swoop in for the attack in her hesitant moment. "I see they have not told you everything. You are under Hidan's immortality jutsu, which only lasts one year. You will reach the peak of your power mid-summer and then it will slowly decline until you are back to how we found you. After which, you will most certainly die." Obito plops back down into his seat languidly, stoically gazing on at the pink-haired medic.

Sakura feels that all of her breath has been knocked out of her as she looks down in defeat, multiple trains of thought running through her head in a mere second. _This changes a lot…_ Gathering her will once again, she clenches her fists in determination. "Stay away from Konoha..." she warns gruffly, eyes dark and fiery.

Obito raises an amused eyebrow before closing his eyes. "I'm sure Konan has told you," he begins, nodding towards the woman in the seat nearest to his own. "I won't touch your precious Konoha yet. For now, you're correct. Those fools I sent to fetch you and Hidan's idiotic jutsu have done wonders to your power for now. But you still have to follow my orders here. Because there's nothing protecting Koboha once you're gone."

Sakura no longer has any cards left to play. She cannot risk putting Konoha in danger and if that means there is a small chance that someone witnesses her willingly trailing the Akatsuki, then so be it. Sakura sighs, swallowing her pride and focusing on her son's well-being. "I will do as you ask," she relents. "I will be your medic on missions. But I will not engage in any combat against your enemies, especially those of which are allied to the Leaf. It will only be cause for suspicion, and possibly aid in Konoha nin locating me."

Obito nods. "Very well." He raises an obsidian eyebrow her way. "Anything else?"

She looks to the side, her eyebrows furrowing as she thinks back to her first encounter with their "experiment". "The girl," she mentions softly. "Natsumi. She will need a more nutritious diet as well as a better quality of rest if I am to continue working on her."

Obito's lips thin sternly at her request. "You're not really in the position to be making ultimatums, Haruno Sakura," he declares in a warning tone.

Taking a deep breath, Sakura sends the Uchiha a pleading gaze. "I am her medic. I have been tasked to provide you with a reliable and healthy subject. You don't give her an adequate amount of rest and the right food and she will not be at an optimal level to perform. It will take me twice as long to heal her and she will die in half the time. You can be a callous man, Obito, but I would like to believe that you are smart. You already know all of this. All I'm asking is that you settle. Is it so horrible that someone else might also benefit where you do?

His eyes narrow. "Yes," he replies evenly and Sakura's lips thin in defeat. After a long silence he continues. "The girl will receive seven hours of mandatory sleep every night and will be served three meals a day. You will oversee these actions along with your other duties since it is your doing. Dismissed."

Sakura finally feels as if she can breathe again as she turns on her heels and walks out of the room, leaving the rest of the Akatsuki, save Hidan, behind.

Hidan marches angrily to her side once they have enough distance between them and the meeting chamber. "Are you _deaf_?" he whispers hoarsely. "Did you not hear me when I told you to lay off the sass for literally _ten minutes_ of your life? If you weren't immortal, I'd think you had a death wish!" he snarls.

Sakura keeps her eyes forward. "Maybe that's why I did it," she replies, a triumphant smirk crawling across her lips. Suddenly, Hidan grabs her upper arm, pulling her towards him so that she is looking directly into his wild, purple eyes. Her eyes widen in astonishment as he regards her roughly.

"Don't for a second act like you have nothing to lose anymore, Haruno, because you have _plenty_ ," he spats and then releases her arm, pointing towards his head. "Think!" he orders before stalking down the long, dark hallway.

Sakura stares quizzically at the grey-haired man's receding body, her mouth agape. It is a rare occurrence that Sakura had ever been referred to as idiotic in her life time. And she believes this is the _first_ time the person referring to her in this manner is actually correct. She needs to tread carefully.

* * *

Sakura perks up at the sound of three, soft knocks on her door. She stares inquisitively at the door before standing out of her meditation stance. Hidan is not usually one to knock, so either she has a new visitor or her babysitter has finally thought it fitting to learn some manners. Upon opening the door, Sakura is welcomed with an artful smirk from the petite, brown-skinned kunoichi.

"Hey, Haruno," she greets as if they are old pals and Kyra visits her all the time.

Sakura arches a pink eyebrow. "Um…hi, Kyra…" responds Sakura confusedly, peeking out into the hallway to see if Hidan is trailing the quick kunoichi. "Is there a problem?"

Kyra sighs, leaning lackadaisically against Sakura's door frame, her arms crossed over her chest. "Nah," she answers, shrugging and then her hazel eyes shimmer playfully. "Just looking for a new sparring partner. You down?"

Sakura's hand rises to begin scratching the back of her head sheepishly. "I don't know if that's…" she murmurs, trailing off softly.

"Oh, come _onnn_ ," whines Kyra. "You threaten me while you're bed-ridden, fight Hidan when you can barely summon your chakra, mouth off to _Obito_ when you're not… _fucking Obito_ , but you're too pussy to come play with me?" Sakura stares on warily and Kyra rolls her eyes. "Don't worry, Leader won't say anything. I mean you're practically part of the family now, if that's what you're worried about," teases the girl, her ever-present smirk in place. Sakura does not exactly look convinced, and Kyra sucks her teeth. "Stop acting like you don't have balls, Sakura, I've _seen_ them."

Sakura shakes her head. "I just… Hidan is supposed to take me out within the next hour anyway, and I don't feel like arguing with him today," she reasons lethargically.

Kyra laughs, backing away from the pinkette a little bit. " _That's_ who you're worried about?" Kyra rolls her eyes. "Listen, I know you're his follower, but you don't have to be all up in his ball sack. He'll want you to train a bit, believe me. You're his partner on missions now. You'll only slow him down if you're not in shape," explains Kyra, nodding as to assure herself.

Sakura closes her eyes, shaking her head back and forth as she disregards nearly everything the petite girl said. "Wait…I'm sorry. His _follower_?" questions Sakura, nearly spatting the last word.

Kyra looks at Sakura with disbelief. "You mean, you don't know?" Sakura raises her hands and drops them in a defeated manner, wondering if Hidan would have _ever_ told her she only has a year to live or that she is apparently his _follower_ of some sort. "Yeah, Hidan's jutsu allows for him to take in one mortal or one "follower" for a year of complete immortality at a time. So, if you ever feel that you're actually minding what Hidan says or constantly trying to be around him, that's why."

Well, Sakura for sure has no problem with those two side effects. She almost _never_ listens to Hidan and she loathes being anywhere near him. Sakura bites her lip in thought. There is, however, another weird feeling she's been dealing with every time she thinks of the violet-eyed nin. Her stomach burns just at the thought.

"Are there any… _other_ side effects I should be aware of?" asks Sakura, refusing to look Kyra directly in the eyes.

Kyra places her hands on her hips, clearly intrigued. "Like what?" she says slowly, giggling in mirth.

Sakura glares, grabbing her arm anxiously and looking away. "Nothing," she quips quietly before pushing her hair behind her ears and walking briskly out the door. "Let's go."

"Al-right!" cheers the black-haired girl, scurrying after the medic. "I'll show you where the arena is," she says, finally catching up to Sakura. "We have an outdoor one in the middle of the complex." Sakura nods, following after the brown-skinned kunoichi and becoming a little jealous of her curvaceous, petite form as she saunters cheerfully through the hideout. Kyra leads Sakura into a large, grassy field with a crystal, blue stream winding through it. There's a huge patch of land partly covered in dirt and grass in the center, but Sakura's only focus is the colorful trees blossoming on the grassy side of the clearing. She is taken away by their beauty, and is surprised a group as heartless as the Akatsuki would care to even provide any upkeep concerning the landscaping.

"We're not heathens, you know?" says Kyra, seemingly reading Sakura's mind. "This isn't a normal occurrence in Akatsuki hideouts though. That's why I like when we're able to be in this one when spring comes around." Kyra lifts her arms over her head, stretching. "But enough of me giving you vital intel. Let's warm up."

Sakura shakes herself from her occupation with the beautiful sight before her as she absentmindedly begins stretching. The medic turns her attention to the brown-skinned woman next to her. Kyra is limber and fit; her skin nearly glistens in the sunlight, and her kinky, curly hair—that she now has in two adorable puffs on the top of head—nearly defies gravity, little, black ringlets framing her face perfectly.

 _It's unfair how naturally beautiful she is …_ ponders Sakura. And then for some reason she wonders if Hidan watches Kyra when she stretches also. If he notices her perky breasts, nice, round ass, and long, toned legs when he's around her. Shaking the thoughts from her head, Sakura finally remembers something that Hidan once said about Kyra's past.

"How did you get here, Kyra?" Sakura asks, her teal eyes reading innocent curiosity.

Kyra chuckles a little, continuing to stretch out her legs. "I assume you're asking how I was accepted into Akatsuki…" Sakura nods. "I have a lot of chakra. And I'm really fast. Like your Fourth Hokage fast."

"How's that?" questions Sakura, putting her short hair up to the best of her abilities.

"I'm a lab experiment," answers Kyra bluntly, and Sakura gives her a doubtful look. "No, seriously." Kyra smiles at the medic before finally standing up fully. "I'm one of Orochimaru's. I escaped using the powers he gave me. Stupid snake bastard… at least he's good for one thing…" She nearly whispers the last sentence, her eyes darkening slightly.

"What? Accidents?" chimes in a familiar voice nearing the two. Both women lift their heads to regard the Jashin worshipper as he stalks into the clearing, Kisame and Deidara trailing him. "Any freak without a condom could do _that_ ," he snorts, a devious sneer etching into his features.

Kyra smirks, licking her lips. "Better keep it wrapped then, huh, Hidan?"

Hidan chuckles, strolling up to Kyra and grabbing and shaking her chin good-naturedly. "You keep me on my toes, Chocolate Chip, _that's_ why we're friends." Sakura's eyes narrow at the odd of honest playfulness Hidan is showcasing with Kyra. She is not sure why the way Kyra and Hidan share knowing looks and lingering touches makes her feel so uneasy.

Kyra smiles, shoving his hand from her face, and placing a hand on her curvy hip. "Who says we're friends?" She turns to face the other men. "You guys come to watch the show? Sakura and I are about spar." Deidara and Kisame look at each other bemusedly.

"Like hell," scoffs Hidan before looking directly in Sakura's eyes cunningly. Hidan's mischievous leer leaves Sakura captivated and concerned all at the same time. "I'll be fighting Sakura today." _Fight_ him? Sakura will not be satisfied until he is _dead_. Her tough glower only causes his smirk to widen.

"What?" Kyra screeches, stomping her foot as she glares at Hidan with honey-colored eyes that are just as untamed as his. "You don't just get to stroll up and take my sparring partner! You manage to suck the fun out of everything, Hidan!" she complains.

Hidan chuckles again, not breaking eye-contact with Sakura. "Not for her…look at her," he points out, removing his cloak to reveal his strong, tanned chest and rippling abs. Strong arms flex as he throws the black and red cloak to the side. "She's practically itching to fight me. Aren't you, Pinky?" he teases, and Sakura grits her teeth and narrows her eyes, silently dropping into a fighting stance. "See?" boasts Hidan, finally looking around at everyone proudly.

Kyra rolls her eyes as Kisame ushers her over to the side of the arena to watch, patting her shoulder gingerly as she crosses her arms and pouts.

"Aww, you can fight Haruno tomorrow, Ky," chuckles Kisame in jest. Kyra, who clearly does not feel comforted by Kisame's large hand rubbing roughly against her shoulder, turns around quickly, sending a few playful jabs his way and then bringing her tiny fists up to guard her face with a smirk.

"Why don't we give it a go, huh, Kisame?" she asks, delivering a few more air punches his way.

Kisame smiles, easily grabbing the girl up in one arm and squeezing her against his chest to which she yelps in displeasure. "Nah, we can have fun right here. How about we place some bets. Deidara, you in?" he questions, placing Kyra back on her feet.

Deidara grins, crossing his arm over his chest. "You serious? I'm going with Hidan. It's not even going to be fun taking your easy money, yeah."

"Let's make it a little more interesting than that," offers Kisame. "I bet Hidan won't be able to land a sizable blow on Sakura in the first 20 minutes," says the blue-skinned man, smirking Deidara's way.

Deidara raises a golden eyebrow. "What are we defining as sizable?"

"He won't be able to hit her face or torso in the first 20 minutes," specifies Kisame, shaking his head back and forth as he gazes on at the pinkette and her opponent. "100 dollars he won't."

"Ha!" chortles Deidara. "You're on. Too fucking easy." He glances at the petite kunoichi. "What about you, Kyra. Who are you betting on, yeah?"

"Absolutely no one!" exclaims Kyra, turning her nose up at the two ex-nin. "You're not going to see _me_ placing any bets around here anymore."

Deidara's nose wrinkles in discontent. "Oh come on! Why not?" he demands.

"I'm low on dough," responds Kyra, gazing at her nails disinterestedly. "I mean if you can't trust Zetsu to pay you back, who _can_ you trust?" she shrugs.

The blonde growls, face-palming disgruntledly. "Zetsu is _literally_ the least trustworthy person in Akatsuki!" counters Deidara, looking close to ripping his hair out from the roots. "And yes, with money too! I'm including Kakuzu by the way."

Kyra scowls, placing her hands on her hips again. "You are such a hater, Deidara. You're just upset your little buddy Sasori is dead and my bestie is still alive and kicking," she jabs, looking away in frustration.

"You have got to be kidding me…" grumbles Deidara dryly under his breath. "Whatever, Kyra. 100 bucks Hidan will _definitely_ beat Sakura to a pulp before 20 minutes, Kisame. I want my winnings in all ones so I can cheer on Kyra tonight." Kisame busts out into boisterous laughter as Kyra bristles furiously.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she takes a soothing breath before huffing indignantly. "Just watch the spar before I kill you both." Perking up, she calls Sakura to get her attention and quickly unstraps her weapon's pouch from around her waist, tossing it to her. "You might need that," she says with a wink.

Sakura nods in thanks before her hardened gaze is back on the violet-eyed ninja. "You going to make the first move?" she suggests, clipping the pouch around her waist.

Hidan smirks, clutching the handle of his scythe menacingly. "No, ladies first. I insist." Sakura does not budge in Hidan's direction, instead settling further into her stance. "You drive a hard bargain, but I'll take it!" he finally shouts, speedily launching his weapon at the pink-haired girl.

Sakura grits her teeth in concentration, easily moving to the side and out of the way of the large scythe. As he pulls it back with a grunt, she watches his movement closely as he heaves it at her again, this time causing her to duck and roll to the side, landing in a half-kneel, one hand pushing into the ground for balance as the scythe makes a crescent shape over her head. Without much time to catch her breath, Hidan hurls it at her again, but this time Sakura is able to calculate its trajectory, stepping swiftly to the side and sending a chakra-filled punch directly at the side of the weapon, so it quickly drops and lodges deeply into the ground below.

Hidan gasps dramatically, tugging at his weapon, but in no time Sakura has pushed chakra to the soles of her feet and is swiftly making her way towards him via the chain that allows for his weapon to extend and retract. Sakura then poises above him, readying to strike when he finally pulls his weapon free. Growling, she brings her chakra-infused fist down on him as he jumps out the way, parrying her attack and bringing his weapon with him.

Sakura does not ease up, instead bringing her hands together to complete a number of hand signs. "Suiton: Ryusuiben!" she shouts as the water from the stream slithers into both her hands in the form of a whip. She lands just in time to dodge another one of Hidan's wild attacks by flicking the water whip in one hand against his weapon. She then spins gracefully so that she is able to fling her other water whip to attack Hidan.

Hidan grimaces as his retractable spear reveals itself from inside the arm of his cloak, easily piercing through the water whip, causing the liquid to disperse. Sakura's teal eyes narrow in focus as she somersaults out of the way of her opponent's blade, flinging her final water whip out at him again.

Hidan quickly retracts his weapon to slice through her water whip, causing Sakura to gasp. A winning smirk makes its way across the Akatsuki member's face as he stares at her. She cannot continue like this. Hidan benefits greatly in mid to long range combat. Her best chance is to get as close as possible.

Hidan seems to read her mind, sending a barrage of attacks her way all of which Sakura narrowly dodges.

Deidara stares on in wonder, trying his best to ignore Kisame's content chuckle. "She's getting lucky," growls Deidara indignantly, his fists clenching by his side. "She still has ten minutes to go before you win anything and she looks a little tired to me…"

Kyra smiles, her eyes not straying from the fight before her. "I don't know, Deidara…she's looks pretty damn solid out there." Crossing her arms, she finally glances at the ex-Iwa nin. "Hidan's main goal is to graze his opponent with his scythe so he usually does so pretty efficiently."

Kisame snickers again, smiling cheekily at the blonde. "You don't know how Sasori even died, do you?" Deidara shrugs, not understanding the pertinence of Kisame's question. "Sakura is a medic nin. She dodged _every single one_ of his attacks. She might be a little out of practice, but she ain't getting hit any time soon. Trust me," he huffs confidently.

As Hidan heaves his scythe at Sakura again, she does another set of hand signs. "Doton: Doryheki!" Suddenly, a large stone wall shoots out of the ground, instantly stopping Hidan's attack, and when it falls, Sakura is gone.

Hidan stiffens, lowering his weapon and focusing on his surroundings. "You're good, but you're not that good, Haruno," he says, lifting his scythe up to block her incoming kick from above. Sakura grunts, utilizing the handle of the scythe to flip forward with both hands. Swinging herself around the pole so that she lands on the ground, she jabs out her other leg to land a chakra-filled kick to his abdomen with a battle cry.

He easily flickers out of the way with a dark chuckle. "You're a slippery little thing. Tsunade taught you well," he compliments jokingly. Sakura's inexpressive gaze does not falter as she stares on at the silver-haired nin, looking him up and down calculatingly. Thinning her lips, she flickers away so that she is poised right in front of him with a glowing green fist. He quickly moves out of the way just in time for her to slam into the ground, a large fissure forming where Hidan once was. Dust flies around everywhere as boulders continue to crumble under her devastating blow.

Deidara's jaw drops as he stares on in amazement and Kyra and Kisame look on in enjoyment.

"Still confident about that bet, Deidara?" laughs Kisame, smirking at the art enthusiast. Deidara pouts as Kyra giggles a little as well, bringing her hand up as a guard against the sun and dust so that she's able to view the match.

"Yeah, Deidara. She's pretty fucking good," the brunette admits, crossing her arms over her chest and looking on in apparent interest.

When the dust disappears, Hidan is standing tall, his scythe shouldered and a leer resting defiantly against his tan features. "My turn." And he swiftly makes his way towards Sakura, a maniacal laugh echoing through the arena.

The medic perks up, readying herself for his attack and hoping that Hidan realizes that this is just a spar and they will never work well together in the future if he aims to slice her head off. Growling, he ascends on her, swiping over her head, jabbing at her center, to her right and to her left. Sweat forms on Sakura's forehead as her brows furrow in concentration, pure adrenaline flowing through her veins as she dodges every one of his attacks. Sakura's breath hitches as another overhead attack narrowly misses her temple, a couple strands of pink hair falling to the ground.

Her heart rate quickens as he backs her into a tree, bounding out of the way as he swipes at it, bringing the modestly sized plant down in one blow. Sakura's chest is rising and falling rapidly as Hidan turns on her. She has never once seen someone so exhilarated during a battle as Hidan seems and she cannot help but marvel at his wild yet precise movements. He is so very talented and even after attacking her so diligently, he does not even seem to be breaking a sweat. Sakura will never admit it aloud, but her heart is not beating so harshly against her chest because she is frightened. Admiring how the fight is affecting Hidan actually _excites_ her. She looks down in thought, astonished in her own feelings, but has very little time to gather any sense of those feelings as Hidan storms at her again.

She back flips out of the way, leaping into the air and sending a barrage of senbon at him with a grunt. Hidan swiftly spins his weapon around, obstructing every one of her weapons from reaching his body before running at the girl again. Right before he can reach her, Sakura closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, dropping into a different stance.

A confused look overcomes the observing group's countenances, save for the curly-haired girl who smirks knowingly. "Deidara, you might as well fork up the cash now…" she says, her voice dripping in excitement.

"Why?" questions the blonde, looking back at Kyra. "How much time does she have left?"

Kyra shakes her head. "Doesn't matter. Sakura knows Ba Gua."

Kisame raises an eyebrow. "What the fuck is that?"

"Only the best way to tame a wild fighter like Hidan," she answers triumphantly. "I told him to let me fight her," she tisks, placing her hands on her hips and watching Sakura prepare for Hidan's attack. "She likes taijutsu, just like me."

Calming herself, Sakura watches Hidan closely as he nears her, spinning out of the way when he finally reaches her. His attacks are strong and quick, but Sakura's defenses are more circular and contained in nature now, making her avoidance of his attacks seem nearly effortless. No longer scraping by on her scrappy defenses, Sakura allows a proud smile to brighten her face. It seems that training with Gai and Lee for the past few years has definitely come in handy.

While it is impossible for her to match his movements, reading them has become a lot easier as she constantly evades his attacks by focusing on his footwork and sneaking behind him and around him at the last second. Just as Sakura makes it look too easy, Hidan changes his approach and she is forced to duck his scythe unexpectantly, reeling backwards as the weapon circles back around and the back of it nails her right in the stomach. She flies, tumbling and skidding against the ground multiple times, a pained groan leaving her lips as she finally slides to a halt. Her eyes widen as she lifts herself up, hair sprawling against her sweaty face as her breath comes out quick and shaky. She hears footsteps approach her as she swiftly stands out of her prone state, her teeth gritting and a kunai in hand.

Hidan reveals a winning smirk as he shoulders his weapon. "Sorry, Pinky, you got too cocky," he says, gingerly pushing a strand of hair from her face and walking back towards the compound. She distantly hears Deidara lament over the fact that it has been 28 minutes while Kisame roars in laughter. Kyra appears before her smiling.

"That was very impressive," she commends, her hands on her hips, but Sakura is still in shock at how easily and decisively Hidan took her out and stays silent. "If that was you without training in over a year, I can't wait to see you at your normal level." And they both walk in together.

* * *

Sakura takes a deep breath as she finishes reconstructing Natsumi's fractured shin. She does not know what part of testing requires for the scientists to literally crush the girl's bones nearly beyond repair, but she will have to make it a priority to be here next time. Sakura has already caused enough trouble what with her instructing the guards and scientists to treat the young girl humanely outside of testing times, she is not so sure Obito will be too happy about her making even more requests.

The black-haired girl releases a contented hum as Sakura pushes soothing chakra into her body, easing her pain and giving her the comfort she deserves beyond healing.

"What's that?" Natsumi asks distantly, her eyes still closed in bliss.

Sakura's eyebrows furrow in concentration as her hands trail up to Natusmi's temples, massaging them gingerly. "It's a muscle relaxer," she answers softly. "It will help you sleep."

The young girl's eyes pop open instantly as she swats Sakura's hands away. "I'm not ready for bed yet," she says stubbornly, walking away from the medic and leaving Sakura kneeling next to her bed with her eyebrow arched in confusion.

"Natsumi…" begins Sakura tenderly. It is nearly midnight and she will be forced to wake up at five in the morning for more testing. If she does not get her rest, the exhaustion alone could kill her.

The young girl stares out the lone window in her room. Sakura has been able to relocate the girl to a room that isn't in the basement so that she can have a little bit of natural light due to her vitamin D deficiency. In fact, Natsumi now has a bed that is more than just a bedraggled mat on the ground and a closet with fresh linens and clothes. While no one could tell Sakura exactly how old Natsumi is, Sakura is almost certain she is around seven years old. A girl her age should be outside playing with friends, or at least have a doll house or two. Natsumi has a window.

"May I have something to eat?" Natsumi asks, looking at Sakura with doleful lavender eyes.

Sakura looks at the girl concertedly. Natsumi ate only a couple of hours earlier, which made her third meal of the day Obito promised to the young girl. For the past few days since Sakura's first meeting with Obito, Natsumi was so overwhelmed at the idea of having more than one meal a day, that wasn't merely soldier pills at that, that she couldn't even finish everything and often ended up playing around with her food by dinner time. If Sakura remembers correctly, Natsumi had struggled finishing her dinner tonight. The young girl is stalling.

Sakura smiles, sighing softly. "Of course. I'll see what I can get for you, but then you _have_ to go to bed, Natsumi." The young pinkette closes her eyes, standing to leave the room when she feels a tug on her hand.

She turns back around to see Natsumi staring at her with a downcast expression painted against her tiny features, her bottom lip poked out in a small pout. "Do you have to leave me soon, Sakura-san?" she questions, her meek voice hinting at tears.

Sakura's eyes furrow in pity as she kneels down to the girl's level. She has to remember this is probably one of the first times Natsumi has been in contact with someone that actually treats her with a shred of compassion. She grabs on to the girl's skinny sides, a rush of sympathy running through her whole being as she stares into big, sad eyes.

"Natsumi…" Sakura whispers sweetly, but before she can console the girl, she feels a strong presence behind her. She tentatively glances over her shoulder to see Hidan standing in the doorway with hard, austere eyes, signaling that she must take her leave soon.

Sakura's heart feels heavy as she looks down before doing her best to force a smile as she focuses back on the girl. "Yes, Natsumi. Right after I bring you some food." Sakura did not think it possible for Natsumi to look even more forlorn, but she is doing it. "But I'll be back first thing in the morning." She stands, leading her to her bed. "Try and get some sleep, okay?"

"Alright," relents Natsumi, crawling into her bed. "And Sakura-san?" she calls as Sakura reaches the doorway.

Sakura turns to face her. "Yes?

"I don't need any food. I'm not really hungry," she admits, turning towards the wall and laying down.

Sakura lets out a soft breath, nodding slightly. "I know. Goodnight, Natsumi," she says with a smile before turning out the lights and shutting the door. Sakura closes her eyes and leans against the door, collecting herself before she begins trudging down the hall, features stony and calm and Hidan in tow.

"What did I tell you about getting attached?" scolds Hidan, his harsh violet orbs urging her to heed his warning.

"I'm fine," assures Sakura coldly. "She's a little girl. I will not regard her callously."

Hidan is silent for a while as he stares at her, before finally looking away and continuing down the hall in front of her. "Hn," he grunts impassively. When there is enough distance between them, Sakura's shoulders drop as she lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

* * *

Sakura's breath hitches as she pushes herself to do one last sit-up before falling back against the ground with an exasperated sigh, quick breaths leaving her lips and her heart pulsing against her chest as she rolls over to her side, closing her eyes. Once she is able to fully catch her breath, she pushes herself off the ground and stretches out her arms, rolling her eyes and cursing herself as she remembers that Hidan has not dropped off any fresh towels or clothes today. She sops up some of the sweat on her forehead with the bottom of her t-shirt before walking out the door and towards Hidan's room.

Once she arrives, she knocks a couple times. "Hidan, I need a towel and some clothes," she calls, crossing her arms and looking away. Why the man has not told her where to access her own fresh linens is beyond her. She will ask him this time to just tell her where they keep everything as to make it easier on them both.

Sakura frowns as she realizes Hidan is not coming to the door. She can sense him in his room and she is not in the mood to be ignored today. "Hidan, open the door!" Sakura growls in frustration as she realizes that he still refuses to answer her, this time grabbing hold of the doorknob and forcefully opening it. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" she questions gruffly as she storms in. "I need some—"

Sakura pauses, her eyes widening in horror as she stares at the sight in front of her. Hidan—broad-chested, tight ab possessing, tall, tan and _extremely obnoxious_ Hidan—is standing before her in the nude, steam from the bathroom allowing his slick muscles to remain moist from what Sakura can only assume was his extremely recent shower, and without a worry in the world.

Sakura stands motionless, flabbergasted at Hidan's state as a hot, red blush consumes the majority of her body, her eyes compulsively traveling over his rock-hard physique before landing on amused purple orbs.

Why can't she move? Why can't she _speak_ or even begin to fish for words. A sardonic chuckle reverberates through Hidan's whole body as he crosses his arms over his chest. "Now who's walking in on whom?" he asks slyly, but his voice is deep and gravely, causing liquid heat to settle deep in Sakura's stomach.

He continues to hold her hostage with his scorching gaze as she fights hard to bring herself back down to earth. "Get a good enough look there, Pinky?" he scoffs, finally making a move to fetch his towel.

Sakura, finally able to breathe, is even _more_ petrified at the fact that she ogled him for as long as she did instead of speaking up. She shakes herself out of her stupor, positioning a well-placed grimace on her countenance. "I just…I needed a towel and…some clothes… I…" She closes her eyes, shaking her head back and forth to rid herself of the heart-stopping image that is Hidan's naked form. "Why the fuck don't you have a towel on?" she explodes, bringing her arms up to cover her eyes, and turning her head away.

Hidan shrugs. "I like to air dry," he replies, moving towards his closet and retrieving Sakura's clothes and towels. He walks over to her and she instinctively backs up a little, eyes still closed. "Oh come on, I'm covered now," he says, and she tentatively opens her eyes, blinking a bit as he shoves the linens at her. "There."

Sakura nods in thanks, fronting a bit by continuing to wear her sour look as she opens the door briskly.

"I hope it was as good for you as it was for me. I guess this makes us even now," laughs Hidan, and Sakura growls, shutting the door harshly enough to break it off of the hinges.

She pauses outside his door for a second, closing her eyes and mentally beating the crap out of herself before starting off down the hallway. What is _wrong_ with her? She has never acted that way around a man before. Who was she? _Hinata_? She continues to try and shake the image of Hidan's completely naked—and she will never admit to anyone but _flawless_ —body out of her mind. Usually the thought of Hidan's burning hot gaze on her left her after a few minutes, but even after locking herself in her room, and plopping on her bed in shame, she cannot shake his hungry eyes out of her mind—taunting her, _testing_ her, and completely unmoved thereafter, as if he hadn't been eating her _alive_ that whole time.

Sakura's insides tingle and she groans softly as she realizes her nipples have hardened against her shirt. She tries to think of something else, _anything_ else to get her mind off of Hidan. She thinks of finally reuniting with her kid, being with Naruto, even the forbidden thought of Sasuke devouring her with hot, open-mouth kisses cannot beat the fantasy of Hidan doing the same.

She wants Hidan to _kiss her_? Now she is absolutely sure she is irrevocably insane. She needs to be institutionalized if she can actually stomach the thought of that cynical, sadistic, mass-murdering criminal touching her in such a way. But the more she tries to demonize him, the more her body reacts to the thought of him ravishing her. Her nipples are now almost painfully hard and the pearl between her legs throbs urgently. She bites her lip hard enough to draw blood, pinches herself, buries her head into her pillow, but— _Kami_ —it only makes him yearn for his touch even more.

She envisions his dark gaze on her setting her insights alight as her hand ventures down towards her womanhood. She has soaked through her underwear already, and even as she scrapes a fingernail across her clit, she arches her back tightly against her bed. She slowly rubs circles around her clit, mewling in delight before a finger enters her hot cavern.

She does her best to muffle a moan, her left hand in a secure grip with her sheets as her finger pumps slowly in and out her vagina. Electricity runs through her as she pictures Hidan doing the same, teasing her clit between his calloused fingers and smirking knowingly down at her the way that he always does. Her heartbeat doubles as she begins to pump faster inside of herself, this time adding another digit. She scissors her fingers out and in, loving the feeling of being stretched before picking up the pace again, bucking her hips forward to meet with her wild thrusts.

She is now breathing more rapidly than she was even during her work out as she envisions Hidan's naked body over her again, gasping. It is when she finally presses a demanding thumb against her clit that she finally clenches her eyes shut, letting out a muffled cry as stars blur her vision and pure pleasure wracks through her body. Delightful spasms excite her vagina as her pumping finally slows, her heart rate beginning to finally slow down a bit as she exhales serenely. It is then that she realizes what she has just done, and shame settles definitively into her being. Pleasure is encompassed by sickness and embarrassment and a hollow feeling fills her insides.

This man has captured her, threatened her and her village, ridiculed her and taunted her, and her she is pleasing herself to the thought of him. She is a _prisoner of the Akatsuki_ and she is laying prone in her decently furbished room getting herself off to the image of the person that a couple weeks ago lamented at the idea of not being able to kill any Konoha nin. Sakura pulls up her underwear and pants, completely disgusted in herself and readying to cry. Just as she is about to enter her bathroom to shower, a figure outside her door urges her to open it.

She hesitates for a bit, before cautiously opening the door to come face to face with her new nightmare. Violet eyes stare down at her knowingly, almost judging her, and Sakura worries that he can sense what she has done to herself.

He smirks. "Just came to tell you that you can get towels and clothes from down the hall. Second door on the right," he says.

Sakura gulps, nodding, trying her best to return her features to their once impassive state, and failing terribly. "Right…" she confirms hoarsely before watching him walk away and closing the door with shaky hands. She falls against the door, sinking down to the ground and holding her head with both of her hands as she tries to get a grasp on what is going on with her.

Sakura once said that Sasuke was the only person that could make her insides burn just by looking at her. That he could stop her breath, that he could send her into a fury with just once glance. That he was the only one that could make her feel safe and on edge all at once.

Sure, Naruto makes her feel warm and loved and happy. He is her home. She loves him with all of her heart and would do anything for him. But Sasuke made her feel physically feverish when he walked back into the village that day. She said once that he made her feel like he had wanted to say something else the day he left her, that she didn't know what it was, but it was important and on the tip of his tongue—put her on the verge of a heatstroke.

Sakura now knows what he wanted to say. What that look means; that it means he wanted to devour her whole, that he wanted to ravish her. That he wanted to push her to the limits of incomprehensible pleasure. That he wanted to see her squirm beneath him. But she did not learn that from Sasuke.

She lifts herself up and heads to the bathroom.

Sakura once said Sasuke was the only person that could make her insides burn. She was wrong. She _knows_ she was wrong because Hidan is doing a pretty substantial job of making her feel like she will melt every time he sets his fiery gaze on her.

She quickly starts a cold shower for herself.

* * *

 **A/N:** Well, there it is! A steamy ending to the chapter, and probably not one you expected! This chapter was doubly hard for me! For one, I have NEVER written a masturbation scene, so I hope that sat well with y'all. I kept looking around sketchily when I was writing it, like someone would catch me even though I'm in the privacy of my own room.

Secondly, I feel that I am not very good at fighting scenes (also SHOUTOUT to all my Avatar: The Last Airbender watchers! Ba Gua is one of the forms of martial arts that defensive airbending is based off of ^_^). I've written them decently in the past, but it's difficult writing a Sakura who's an ANBU but hasn't been active in a year... especially against someone who's good enough to be Akatsuki but lost to Shikamaru and his team when they were chuunin. Idk, let me know what you think in your **REVIEWS**! As usual, I love to hear your feedback!

Until next time!


	7. Hope

**A/N:** Hey, y'all! So sorry for the long hiatus! School has been very stressful and will continue to be stressful until I graduate in May so bear with me! Hopefully this chapter sits well with you. There's not as much HidanxSaku goodness but there's a lot of info that I believe needs to be shared.

Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto!

* * *

 **Chapter Six: Hope**

Naruto runs towards the village gates at nearly full speed, a joyous albeit anxious look animating his features. He has not received any news regarding Sakura's death which can only mean that she somehow kept her promise and is waiting at home with Narake. _Maybe her health has even improved…_ ponders the Kyuubi-container naively, glancing over his shoulder eagerly to witness Kakashi and Yamato not even bothering to keep up.

"Come on, guys!" he shouts excitedly. "We have to go see Sakura!" Kakashi sighs, rubbing the back of his neck tiredly while Yamato chuckles softly, shaking his head back and forth at Naruto's fervor. Yamato picks up his pace a bit, but as much as Kakashi would love to see his old student, he is exhausted and is certain if he exerts anymore chakra his old-man legs will give out on him. What he would do to have just a shred of Naruto's seemingly endless chakra reserves. _It's almost over…_ he assures himself as he, too, begins to walk a little less sluggishly.

Kakashi enters the gates only a little after Naruto and Yamato and turns his attention upward to see Izumo and Kotetsu at their posts. Instead of the usual welcoming smiles, the two tokubetsu nin share an odd expression with one another that Kakashi cannot effectively read before looking anywhere but at the three returning nin.

Kakashi's eyes narrow suspiciously as he hopes deep in his heart that their reluctance to socialize is not for the reason he thinks it is. Suddenly, Kakashi tenses; shaken from his thoughts by Naruto appearing in front of him with wide, azure eyes. "Kakashi-sensei, let's go! We need to check on Sakura-chan!"

Kakashi crosses his arms over his chest, sighing softly. "Naruto, that will have to wait. We need to check in with Tsunade concerning our mission first." The Copy Nin regrets even wasting his breath, knowing that his words have fallen on deaf ears.

A frustrated growl rumbles through Naruto's lips. "Sakura is more important, sensei! Tsunade-baa-chan can wait!" he yells before making his way towards his house and disregarding Yamato's calls for him to return. "I'll meet you at the tower later!" he says before flickering away.

Yamato looks concertedly after Naruto before making his way towards the Hokage Tower and Kakashi follows, a bitter feeling in his gut making him worry.

Naruto pulls his keys out of his pocking, fumbling with them a bit as he hurriedly searches for the right one. Jamming his apartment key into the lock, he opens the door and rushes in. "Sakura!" he calls, frantically making his way to the bedroom. He busts through the door, a giddy grin on his face. "Sakura, I—" His smile instantly falls from his lips as he stares disbelievingly around an empty room. The bed is made and Sakura's chakra signature, though minuscule before, is completely missing from the premises.

Naruto turns around to witness a nervous and quiet Hinata, Narake cooing sweetly in her arms. She seems astonished to see him, her eyes wide and mouth agape with words she cannot find. Naruto's heart flutters a bit as his eyes land on his healthy son, but this feeling is soon gone as he again focuses on his girlfriend's absence.

"Hinata, where's Sakura?" he questions ardently, rushing over to her and stopping briefly to stroke Narake's blonde curls gingerly. "Is she with Sasuke?"

Hinata continues to stare at him wordlessly, her eyes dropping from his gaze after a bit. "Naruto-kun… Sakura is…" And she pauses, not exactly sure how to proceed and her heart beating rapidly against her chest.

"Well?" urges Naruto, grabbing on to the petite girl's shoulder and leaning in closer. "Spit it out, Hinata, where is she?!" Hinata's breath hitches in her throat as she shrinks under Naruto's vigorous gaze, cursing herself for having to be the one to break the news to him.

"Dobe," rings a voice from around the corner and Hinata lets out a relieved breath as the Kyuubi container's attention is now on the Uchiha. Sasuke appears in the hallway after placing groceries on the kitchen counter. "When did you arrive?" he questions listlessly before glaring down at Naruto's rough grip on the Hyuga. "Let go of Hinata. You will harm her and frighten Narake," he chastises, pulling Hinata away from the frantic boy gently and sending a fleeting glance towards the green-eyed child.

"Why isn't anyone answering me?!" shouts Naruto frantically, glaring at both of them. "Where is Sakura?!"

Sasuke is taken aback a bit by Naruto's ignorance regarding the situation at hand before both doujutsu wielders guiltily face each other and then train their gazes back on the blonde.

"Naruto, have you spoken to Tsunade-sama yet?" asks Sasuke carefully. Naruto's frightened silence is their answer as Hinata looks sadly down at Narake, bouncing him gently while Sasuke readies himself for Naruto's outburst. "Sakura is gone."

"What?!" explodes Naruto and Hinata cringes, taking the now restless baby to a different room. "What the hell do you mean ' _gone_ '?" inquires Naruto angrily, subconsciously lowering his voice in response to the infant's bothered whimpers.

Sasuke sighs, closing his eyes and choosing his next words as carefully as he can, utter defeat and helplessness crawling into the pit of his gut. "She has been kidnapped by the Akatsuki."

A sinking feeling nearly leaves Naruto grasping for words, his whole body feeling cold and numb. "Sasuke…you're…you're serious?" he murmurs softly, completely astonished. However, the brightness and urgency instantly leaps back into his cerulean orbs. "When did this happen? _How_ did this happen? Why did no one tell me?" he questions rapidly, his teeth gritted together in rage. Sasuke merely stares through the Uzumaki, not sure how to go about explaining the situation to someone who most likely wants to leave to find Sakura immediately. Naruto steps dangerously close to the Uchiha, his eyes like wild fire ready to devour everything within his path. "How are you so calm?!" he growls. "How can you be so calm when we just got her back?" he spats, exasperation edging into his now shaky voice. Sasuke nearly pales as the impossibly exhausting thought of Sakura being gone for the second time since his return to Konoha dawns on him again. How many times will Naruto have to run after his friends? A new wave of guilt consumes him.

Naruto shakes his head back and forth, moving past his old teammate. "I have to go talk to Granny Tsunade. I need to find Sakura!" The blonde is out of the door in only a few seconds, and after making sure Narake is set to leave the house, Sasuke and Hinata follow after him.

Swiftly climbing the stairs in the Hokage Tower with a determined look plastered deftly into his features, Naruto tries his best to quell his inner-self instructing him to lose control. He is sure that the realization of the severity of this situation will set in later as shock still has his brain frazzled. He cannot think straight, which in actuality, might be a good thing. Naruto worries that if he allows his mind to delve into what Sasuke has told him, he will level the whole village. Gritting his teeth in concentration, Naruto easily shoves the guards out of the way—much to their chagrin—and barges into the Godaime's office.

"Tsunade!" shouts Naruto angrily and surprise flickers across the Hokage's features before her stern countenance reigns. The other ninja around him remain silent and an unreadable look enters his previous sensei and Yamato's eyes as they all regard him cautiously. Sasuke opens the door allowing Hinata who is holding Narake to enter quietly.

Tsunade's hands clasp over her desk as she takes a deep breath, accepting that maybe this once it would be unwise to reprimand the young Uzumaki for showing up unannounced and unwelcome. She stiffens, feeling the rage roll off of him in thick, suffocating waves and is thankful Yamato is around in case anything goes any more awry than it already has.

"Naruto," the busty woman begins, closing her eyes solemnly. "How was your mission?"

"Enough with this bullshit, Tsunade-sama! I won't ask again! Where is Sakura?!" roars Naruto, an underlying, deadly hint entering into his voice.

Sharp hazel regards him austerely. "Naruto, lower your voice," she warns lowly. "Sakura was kidnapped by the Akatsuki a little over a month ago… We currently have dispatched two specially trained squads to search for her." Tsunade pauses as she looks emphatically into the worried man's eyes. Her voice is calm now, bordering on sweet and reassuring as she notices Naruto's shoulders relaxing a bit, the crazy look in his eyes dulling ever so slightly. "We are doing everything we can, Naruto, and I know you are upset about not hearing from us sooner, but I couldn't take a chance in compromising your mission."

Naruto's shoulders droop dejectedly as he looks down at his hands. "How did this happen…?" he asks quietly, as if he is already starting to blame himself for Sakura's kidnapping and Tsunade's face softens, wishing to maintain her professionalism when all she wants to do is bring the young man—the closest person to a son she has—into a hug.

A scoff is heard from the other side of the room, and Naruto lifts his head to see a sneering Kiba leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. "How did this _happen_?" he repeats crossly before tilting his head towards the onyx-haired man. "Why don't you ask the Uchiha? He's the one who let her go!" he accuses, glaring harshly in his direction. Sasuke merely seethes, his hands clenching in frustration near his sides.

Naruto turns to his old teammate to reveal sad, cerulean eyes, betrayal swimming in those depths. "Sasuke…is that true?" His demeanor suddenly changes into something darker, more sinister than many have seen him as he takes a daunting step toward the Uchiha and pushes up his sleeve brusquely. "Because if it is—"

"Stop!" demands Hinata's usually meek voice, positioning herself in front of the Uchiha defensively and surprising everyone around her into silence as a spirited look takes over her ivory features. "Kiba-kun, I know you're angry. We are _all_ extremely angry and worried, but I will not allow you to run Sasuke-san's name through the mud!" The Inuzuka snarls before backing down and looking towards the ground, his canine counterpart whimpering in defeat next to him.

Hinata's features revert back to their usual demure state. "Another ANBU was chasing down the Akatsuki members with Sasuke that night. Youma-san. Hoshigaki Kisame peeled off from the group and made his way back towards Konoha and Sasuke pursued him," explicated the Hyuga, lowering her voice as to not wake the now sleeping baby.

Naruto's eyes narrow. "What?" exclaims Naruto. "Why didn't you tell Youma to go after Kisame, then? You were supposed to take care of Sakura; what could _possibly_ be more important than that?" demands the Kyuubi-container.

Sasuke's eyes narrow sternly. "Your son," he replies coldly, his normally impassive gaze replaced by something the others cannot place. Naruto pauses, his breath catching in his throat as remorse instantly runs through his blue watch. He gazes wordlessly at his sleeping son in Hinata's arms before looking down and away in shame.

The Hokage clears her throat softly, gathering everyone's attention. "Sasuke has done everything to assure Narake's safety, even declining to help retrieve Sakura in your absence. A smart move if we assume that the Akatsuki is after the Kyuubi. Narake could be next," she says in a stoic tone, glancing between the two to assure there will be no more trouble from them.

Naruto's eyes narrow seriously, his mouth set into a thin line. "That still doesn't explain why everyone is so calm," he says, glancing around at the shinobi expectantly.

Tsunade pushes herself away from her desk, relieved that they can finally move on to some of the better news. "That's because we have reason to believe Sakura is still alive." Naruto perks up at this and Kakashi and Yamato gaze on intently. Tsuande lifts a hand and gestures to a young, sheepish-looking man standing at the edge of the room with Ino. His hair is a deep obsidian and his eyes a chocolate brown. "This is Akira-san. He says that he not only spoke to Sakura a few weeks ago, but that she seemed healthy."

Hope springs into Naruto's heart as he regards the young man passionately. "Where was she? What did she say? Were the Akatsuki with her?"

The brown-eyed man's eyebrows knit together, clearly overwhelmed by the blonde's zealous nature as he fishes for words before Ino places a supportive hand on his shoulder, quieting him.

"Akira-san does not remember a lot. It seems that Sakura used a pretty advanced amnesia technique on him, which, at the very least means Sakura's health is somehow improving. I'm still trying to piece together the remainder of his memory in order to locate her," reports Ino.

Kakashi raises a suspicious eyebrow. "How do you know that the Akatsuki haven't altered his memory that, once unraveled, could lead us into a trap?"

Ino shakes her head. "Highly unlikely," she responds. "After a decent amount of testing, I've concluded that the jutsu used on Akira-san has an origin in the Yamanaka clan. I taught Sakura that jutsu. Furthermore, though minute in quantity, the remnants of chakra left in his hippocampus are a direct match to the signature given off by healing chakra. Sakura tried to send us a discrete message through Akira-san. She's alive. Or at least she was when she was last seen by Akira-san."

A small pang of relief and optimism fill the shinobi within the room at Ino's findings and Tsunade thanks the young, confused man, asking him to wait outside while she discusses important matters with the Konoha nin.

"I expect Ino to be able to figure out the extent of the information Sakura has left us by the end of the week." Ino nods affirmatively as Tsunade looks at her. "And with that, Ino will be giving Hinata some reprieve with Narake and I will be sending Hinata, Kakashi, and Kiba out to first, assure that Akira-san makes it home safely, and then rendezvous with the other groups to continue looking for Sakura. We need a good sensory-type team without making it too suspicious with too many Leaf nin." Sasuke and Hinata share a look gone unnoticed by the rest of the ninja, a small tint of worry in the young Hyuga's lavender irises before Sasuke nods reassuringly and they both once again face the Hokage.

"We'll also be notifying Suna and our other allies within the week so there will be no alarm if they see Sakura with the Akatsuki. You all are dismissed." The ninja mentioned all nod, bowing before the Hokage, and take their leave, but Naruto remains, slack-jawed.

"Are you kidding me?!" explodes Naruto. "You expect me to just sit here, Granny Tsunade?! I have to help find Sakura; I should have been out there _weeks_ ago!"

"Absolutely not," replies Tsunade, her hazel gaze shining sternly. "This could very well be a trap to get the Kyuubi, Naruto, we cannot risk it!" She sighs before giving the blonde a sincere look. "Listen, we are all extremely worried about Sakura. Don't make us have to worry about you too." Naruto looks ready to cry; to scream; to fight and Tsunade can no longer face him when she feels that she has let him down. "I'm sorry…" she says, though her voice leaves no room for discussion. Naruto shakes in barely concealed fury before stilling himself and leaving without a word.

Sasuke stares after him before turning towards the Hokage. "He will do everything in his power to leave if you do not just let him go now," cautions the Uchiha monotonously.

"So be it," bites out Tsunade bitterly. "I will not have his blood on my hands. If he succeeds in leaving this village, it will not be of my doing." Sasuke stills, staring on reverentially before opening the door to the Hokage's office and allowing Hinata to exit with Narake and following her.

It seems he now has two children to look after.

* * *

Sakura taps her foot impatiently, an anxious pout positioned prominently on her rosy lips as she stares crossly at the sunbathing girl. She crosses her arms. "I thought you said we were going to spar," she huffs, glaring intently at the brown-skinned girl before her.

Kyra sighs lazily, rubbing more sunscreen into creamy, chocolate skin and resting in nothing but her tiny bikini and sunglasses next to the stream in the outdoor arena. "We will, we will," she exhales, waving the pink-haired kunoichi off. "You know, Sakura, you'd be a lot less stressed out if you just…took a load off every now and again. Here, come sit. Get some color to you," Kyra insists, patting the green grass right next to her.

Sakura places her hands on her hips, scowling at the Akatsuki member. "This isn't a _spa_ , Kyra!" she grumbles, her face growing red with frustration. Sakura has a lot of pent up energy. Be it the fact that she is steadily growing stronger or that she has been restricted to two buildings for the past couple months, Sakura cannot keep still. She feels a power that she has never felt rushing through her veins and she often worries over the constant sense of urgency that she has as of late.

Every day she has sparred with one of the Akatsuki members when they were free from missions. Even Kakuzu has given her the time of day, saying that he wants to make sure someone he will be working with is up to his standards. Konan barely speaks to her and Zetsu is never around and gives her the creeps anyway, regardless of Kyra's weird obsession with him. But Kyra has been the most elusive; only using taijutsu against her even though Sakura can feel the excess chakra within her—playing games when she knows Sakura only wants to fight. It is extremely maddening. Hidan had warned Sakura of Kyra's reluctance to fight seriously outside of missions, but the medic did not expect it to be this bad.

"Oooh, that sounds nice. A spa!" cheers Kyra before peeking over her sunglasses at Sakura quizzically. "You wanna go?"

"No!" bellyaches Sakura with finality and Kyra groans, grumbling about how grumpy the young pink-haired woman is and stretching like a feline over her towel before sighing and feigning sleep.

"Excuse _me_ for trying to enjoy my day off," murmurs Kyra, before peeling a golden eye open to look at Sakura. "Not that _you'd_ understand since you're practically on vacation every day…" she finishes sourly.

Sakura glares. She wouldn't exactly call her being kidnapped and held hostage by the Akatsuki _vacation_. Currently, her main concern is being able to move the time she spends here along a little more quickly, however. "If I could take your spot for you, I would," says Sakura lowly. "Believe me."

Kyra closes her eyes, scoffing lightly. "And _you_ believe _me_ ," she begins, and Sakura raises a pink eyebrow. "You don't want to do what _I_ do. They wouldn't have you doing the dirty work anyway, Princess." The brown-skinned girl chuckles, but Sakura feels a little weird at the lack of mirth in her tone. Regardless, she shakes her concerns for the S-class nin away.

Sakura rolls her eyes, reminding herself that this is an Akatsuki member she is childishly fighting with and lamenting over how far she has fallen. _This has to be some alternate reality…_ she thinks to herself before she feels a strong chakra behind her. _Hidan…_

She inwardly begins to seethe as she hears him boisterously call across the courtyard for Kyra who groans again at her sunbathing being interrupted before screaming a shrill, "what!?" at him snappily. Sakura tunes out the two's conversation, as their bickering only proves to make her angrier and she still sees red when she thinks back to how she actually _masturbated_ to the thought of this man. She is silently tormented by these memories every day and has thus kept her distance, opting to train with everyone but him and only answering him with one word statements. She has even gone as far as finding the kitchen on her own and eating there as to not have to see him those three times a day.

 _This man killed Asuma-sensei. This man_ tried _to kill Shikamaru, Ino, Chouji, Kakashi and countless of your other comrades. This man doesn't blink at the thought of Natsumi being tortured. You are not attracted to this man._

This mantra forcefully runs through Sakura's head over and over whenever she comes face to face with him, but it is for naught. It doesn't matter how hard Sakura tries to develop a deep aversion to Hidan, she always feels too comfortable around him. Sakura can't be sure concerning the extent of this jutsu and her role as a "follower" but she hopes to _Kami_ this is the only reason she can stand to be near him without knocking his teeth in.

She takes a deep, soothing breath as the two continue to squabble, stripping herself of her outer clothes in order to reveal a white bikini courtesy of Kyra. If she is unable to spar, she will work on her chakra control. No longer feeling fatigue from normal meditation and control practice, Sakura often opts to train over water as to make the act more difficult for her. She has been working steadily towards replenishing the chakra necessary to soon use her Rejuvenation technique if need be—if it's the absolute last thing she sees in this life, she will make it back to Konoha before she dies. She will be with her son.

A whistling Hidan breaks her from her train of thought, and she glares over her shoulder at him crossly. "Filling that swimsuit out in all the right places, huh, Pinky? Immortality definitely becomes you," he says lowly, his hot, purple gaze scorching her body everywhere it lands.

Sakura tries her best to stay calm, urging the heat pooling into the pit of her stomach to dissipate as she shoves her rose-colored tresses into a pony-tail. "Get bent," she snorts before walking onto the water, closing her eyes, and placing her hands into a chakra forming position. She tries to concentrate on the task at hand as the two continue with their previous conversation before she hears a soft slap and then an aggravated yelp from the Jashin worshiper.

"Agh!" he exclaims. "Why the fuck are you always hitting me, Kyra?" he whines boisterously.

"Because you're always deserving of it," she responds. "Stop staring at her like that! She's not a piece of _meat_ , Hidan." Sakura's eyebrows furrow as her body instantly grows hot, unfortunately not due to her frustrations with the two loud S-class ninja. She takes a deep, calming breath, her eyes still closed in order to decrease the amount of distractions currently bombarding her system. _Why the hell do they have to argue here?!_ And why has the topic of conversation made a deadly turn to include _her_? She tries to push down the urge to allow a yearning shiver travel up her spine in anticipation regarding what they will say about her next. She will never admit it to anyone, but the fact that Hidan was caught staring at her excites her and has absolutely piqued her interests.

A low chuckle rumbles through Hidan's chest. "What? You're trying to tell me you weren't looking also, Chocolate Chip?" he questions slyly and the petite kunoichi huffs in reply, as if she has turned her nose up at his remark.

"Kiss my ass," she spats. "It's different and you know it." At this point, Sakura cannot control her curiosity as she peeks over her shoulder with one eye in a clandestine manner to witness Hidan gazing at Kyra triumphantly, beaming at the realization that he has ruffled her feathers.

The honey-eyed girl crosses her arms over her chest. "It's those fucking eyes," she says silkily. A crafty smirk slithers onto her lips. "Not everyone can take them, especially your follower. I'll admit they even got me a couple times." Sakura raises a rose-colored eyebrow in confusion; her breath catching in her throat as she listens in to a conversation she suddenly feels should be private.

Hidan leans in closer to the curvy woman, grabbing her chin and shaking it softly like Sakura's seen him do a few times before. "Only a couple?" he asks suggestively and then they both share a knowing look before laughing among themselves.

Sakura slowly looks back towards the water wide-eyed. She instantly feels nauseous; as if someone has punched her directly in the stomach after she's consumed an unnecessarily large meal. _Hidan and…Kyra?_ She could tell there was something between them, but nothing seemed to warrant the sexual tension she feels she can literally cut with a knife at this moment.

She squeezes her eyes shut, shaking her head back and forth in shame at being so wound up concerning the relations between two Akatsuki members. Why does she care? This has nothing to do with her and has no bearing on whether she is able to return to Konoha to be with her son again or not. She must focus on what's important. Her eyebrows furrow as she realizes that is much easier said than done. _What in the hell is wrong with me?_

Luckily, when Sakura tunes back into their conversation, the two are talking on a more serious matter.

"Are you sure?" asks Hidan solemnly. Kyra must nod in affirmation because the medic hears Hidan let out a deep sigh. "What does Leader say he wants? I thought y'all said he never comes around?"

Kyra sighs as well. "He doesn't. I mean, I've only met with him once myself. And that was three years ago. I think he's here for Natsumi." Sakura perks up if only a little at the sound of Kyra referring to the Rinnegan-wielder by her actual name, but that feeling is soon replaced with curiosity at the two's staid conversation. Who is this person? Hidan is relatively serious when they speak on Obito, but his tone oozes reverence when talking about this mysterious character. Could there be someone calling the shots at a higher level than Obito? Someone _stronger_? Sakura shivers at the thought.

"Alright," says Hidan. "Let's go then. Haruno," he calls, and she looks over her shoulder to regard him, painfully aware that he isn't using his nickname for her. "We leave the compound for the lab at 5pm." She nods, her eyes showing quiet concern at the hint of trepidation flickering through Hidan's violet gaze. And then he is gone allowing her mind to revert back to the odd sickness welling up within her due to her recent realization of what might truly lie between Hidan and Kyra.

* * *

Hidan doesn't speak to her on the way to the lab. His features are pensive as if something is eating him up inside—something he cannot tell her. Not that she expects a member of Akatsuki to let her in on their secrets, anyway. She probably already knows too much for them to trust her on her own ever again. However, the grey-haired man's silence is uncharacteristic of him and makes her feel quite uncomfortable. She is thankful when he finally leaves her to tend to Natsumi, a smile forcing its way onto her countenance.

"How are we today, Natsumi?" asks Sakura as she sets up the area in the young girl's room where they usually conduct her check-ups.

Natsumi smiles slightly, pushing herself off her bed slowly, her bright features faltering a little as she struggles to put weight on her left leg. "I'm alright, Sakura-san!" she says, but Sakura pauses what she's doing to look concertedly at the girl. She rushes over to help the wobbling girl into her chair, a small hiss leaving her lips at the sudden movement.

"What happened?" questions Sakura frantically, the mother in her rearing its fretful head. She begins pressing gently along the young girl's leg until she reached her knee and she jerks back in apparent pain. "You were not to be tested on today," recalls the pink-haired shinobi as she begins to push numbing chakra into Natsumi's body.

Natsumi at first flinches, her leg stiffening before she lets out a breath of relief and quits fidgeting. "I was training today!" she exclaims, her lavender orbs sparkling with excitement.

At first concentrated on decreasing the swelling in the girl's knee, Sakura raises a pink eyebrow in the girl's direction. "Training?" she repeats and Natsumi nods enthusiastically. "Why would they have you training?"

"If I get stronger, Obito-san says I can help fight against bad people! He says I can be a ninja like you and Kyra-san!" Sakura is taken aback by the young girl's comment, unsure of what to say in response. Obito and the other scientists seem to be brainwashing Natsumi into believing if she is a "good girl" and does everything they ask of her that she will be awarded her freedom. Even worse, she has been brought up to believe that by helping the Akatsuki she is somehow helping the ninja world. Sakura wants to explain everything to Natsumi, but where would she even start? This is her worldview; this is all she knows. It would take an outrageous amount of time to deprogram this poor girl, time that neither she nor Natsumi has.

Not only that, according to the lab notes she had happened upon when she was snooping around one evening, Natsumi cannot even use her Rinnegan on command. When she does happen to call on her powers, it is usually during times of intense stress that nearly kill her—prompting Sakura to keep pumping more and more reconstructive chakra into a tiny, weak body that will probably give out one of these days. Natsumi will probably never leave this building. They are feeding her a false dream and it makes Sakura irreversibly sick to her stomach. And who would she be to funnel any more negativity into the situation? She must bite her tongue to ensure the happiness—albeit unwarranted—of the young girl.

Sakura forces a smile as she finishes up healing Natsumi's knee. "Well that sounds amazing, Natsumi," she says. "I'm sure you're doing so well."

Natsumi grins, swinging her newly healed leg back and forth. "I hope so. I can't wait to be out there with you and Kyra-san!" Sakura nods in agreement, standing and walking towards the desk to grab more supplies in order to check Natsumi's vitals.

When Sakura turns back around, she stops in her tracks as Natsumi gazes at her with large, questioning eyes. Sakura's eyebrows furrow in concern. "Is there something wrong, Natsumi?"

The young girl is quiet for a while before her meek voice is heard. "Do you have a family, Sakura-san?" Teal eyes blink rapidly back at the girl before Sakura is again kneeling before her. She wraps a stethoscope around her neck and begins to check Natsumi's heart rate.

"Yes, I do," she answers shortly. When the girl continues to stare expectantly at the medic she continues. "I grew up living with my mother, my father, and my grandmother," she says, her heart sinking as she musters up the courage to say her next words, forcing her face to remain expressionless. "I also have a son."

The girl tilts her head to the side in such an adorable manner Sakura can't help but crack a smile. "Where is he?"

Sakura moves the stethoscope around to the girl's back instructing her to breathe deeply. "He's in my hometown with his father."

"You have a husband?!" asks the girl excitedly.

"Something like that," Sakura chuckles.

"What's his name?" Natsumi pries impatiently. "Is he handsome?"

Sakura laughs again. "Focus, Natsumi. Another deep breath please." Natsumi obliges and once the medic completes the check-up, she walks back to the desk, packing her instruments in silence.

"Your son…when do you get to see him again?" Sakura halts at the task at hand as she has been asking herself that very question every day she's been here. She turns to face the girl.

"Hopefully very soon," she replies before walking back to the girl and kneeling in front of her, staring into her curious orbs. "But I have to make sure you're strong and healthy first. He's a baby. I'll be back to him before he even realizes I'm gone," she says with a grin as to reassure the doujutsu-wielder.

Natsumi is quiet again as she looks down at her feet before looking back into Sakura's worried gaze. "I never met my parents…" she whispers sullenly, and Sakura's heart instantly tightens painfully for the young girl. "Obito-san tells me not to worry about them. He says they left me here because they didn't want me—that my powers scared them away."

Red, hot hate replaces Sakura's previous feelings of pity. And so the manipulation continues. How can someone who was once Kakashi's closest friend house so much _evil_ in his heart? It seems that the Uchiha Curse of Hatred that she once thought to be mere myth does hold some truth.

"That's not true, Natsumi," begins Sakura, shaking her head back and forth. "Whoever your parents are, I'm sure they love you with every inch of their being," she assures, her voice calm and sincere.

"Then why would they leave me here?" she questions, her tone rising with an anger the Konoha-nin had never expected from the girl. Her onyx eyebrows furrow in frustration. "If they loved me, they would have come back for me!" Sakura freezes, her body going cold as she thinks back to her child. She finds the similarities between Natsumi and Narake striking and fear grips at her soul as she realizes that this is exactly what Narake might experience if she never returns.

Sakura grips Natsumi's arms fervently, tilting her head in order to catch her gaze as livid tears flee down the young girl's pale white countenance. "Natsumi, listen to me," she urges the girl quietly. Once the girl's body stops shaking and her breathing calms a little, Sakura cradles her face in her hands wiping away her warm tears. A soft whimper escapes through Natsumi's lips as more tears pool in her eyes, trembling and threatening to fall past her long, black eyelashes.

Sakura hushes the girl before holding both of her little hands gingerly in her own. "No matter what they say, I _promise_ you that your parents love you…okay?" She shakes her head back and forth as the memory of witnessing Narake's first breath in this world fills her with a joy that she would not have known possible had she not had him. "No parent can hold their child for the first time and not want to do anything possible to keep them safe. A mother's love is unconditional, Natsumi. Please promise me that you will _always_ remember that," Sakura requests and the girl lets out a dainty sob again before nodding and falling into Sakura's arms. Reluctant at first, Sakura finally wraps her arms around the weeping girl, allowing her to cry into her chest as she pets her hair consolingly. After a couple minutes, Natsumi's cries subside and Sakura is able to examine her puffy, red face.

She gives her a sweet smile. "Better?" she asks quietly. The girl nods, sniffling and Sakura leads her to her desk before leaving to retrieve her dinner.

Again rage runs hot through Sakura's veins as she realizes how cruel the Akatsuki can be. They have substantially ruined this young girl's life and she isn't even ten yet. Sakura would be surprised if she makes it out of here without killing at least one of them. She tries desperately to stay calm, finding it difficult to quell the uncontrollable fury that is sure to boil over. She has to remind herself that the people of Konoha are at stake if she steps out of line even a little bit, but it is becoming harder and harder the more she learns about this organization.

As she enters the makeshift kitchen, she notices one of the younger scientists looking through a medical textbook languidly.

She crosses her arms, shooting him a heated glare. "Why is Natsumi training? The girl could barely lift herself out of the bed ten days ago. You have to know she's extremely sick."

The man lifts his head lackadaisically, looking at her through listless, pale blue eyes. "Obito's orders. She needs to get stronger," he answers plainly before returning his attention to the book.

Sakura takes a dangerous step forward, raising an eyebrow in challenge. "And you expect me to believe you _imbeciles_ are somehow competent enough to train a kid with the Rinnegan? She actually figures out how to use that thing and you'll be decimated in seconds."

The scientist scoffs, shutting his book loudly and standing to face the apprentice to the Hokage. "Thank-you so much for your concern, Haruno, but it is actually Zetsu-san's clones she's sparring with and learning from. He is oddly fond of the girl. He won't let her get seriously hurt," he explicates curtly before nodding her way. "You have a pleasant evening, Haruno," he mutters sarcastically before leaving the kunoichi in the room alone. Sakura is taken aback by his explanation but instantly neutralizes her features before returning to the task of readying Natsumi's dinner.

* * *

Finally back in the compound for the night, Sakura can at last fix herself a meal. The whole walk back, all she could think about was her son and how he would feel at Natsumi's age if she is somehow unable to return. Sakura prides herself in not being afraid of too many things, but she knows the thought of her son never truly knowing who she is will surreptitiously find its way into her nightmares until she is reunited with him. At least if she died how she had been expected to, her body would be in the village. Her friends would know exactly what to say about her if Narake ever asked because they would have the downtime to prepare. She would have even been there to help; relaying to them exactly what she wanted Narake to know about her, what she wanted to keep secret. Narake would definitely know that Sakura loved him with all her heart because she would instruct Naruto to tell him every day.

Now, her friends and comrades are probably sick with worry. Narake will grow up wondering why his mother never returned to him. Why the Akatsuki wanted her in the first place; why she didn't try hard enough to come back home. Her mother probably won't leave the house; there's a slight chance that Sasuke and Naruto are falsely blaming themselves. Kakashi had been upset about losing yet another comrade so early anyway, but now, her current situation is only prolonging the pain he had already probably readied himself for. Her shishou is probably a mess and Shizune might not even have the strength to stop her from drinking. _Why didn't I just stay with Sasuke?_ She has lost count of how many times she has asked herself this question. Her heart wrenches agonizingly when she imagines what could have been had she been a little less hard-headed, had she been a little less the care-taker of others when she could not even properly take care of herself.

She is so lost in her own train of thought she barely notices Konan's stealthy entrance into the compound kitchen. Sakura watches her warily, realizing they have only ever exchanged a few words with one another. She then remembers Natsumi and her doujutsu. She recalls Naruto sharing how Konan and Nagato grew up with one another. If he had the same doujutsu, maybe Konan can shed a little light on Natsumi's past.

Sakura clears her throat. "The girl in the other compound…" she begins, urging her voice to remain calm. Konan continues to prepare her food as if Sakura hasn't said a word. "Her name is Natsumi and she has the Rinnegan." Konan still does not make any move to demonstrate whether she is acknowledging Sakura or not so the medic just continues. "She says she has no idea where she is from, who her parents are or why they left her. I was wondering…" Sakura pauses, turning in her chair so that she is fully facing the blue-haired Ame-nin. "From my basic understanding, the Rinnegan is not fully genetic like other doujutsu are. However, maybe there is a link between Nagato and Natsumi." Konan ceases her movements, tensing ever so slightly upon hearing the name of her late friend. However, it is only momentarily and she quickly reverts back to focusing on her task, or at least does an impeccable job feigning so. "I know from Naruto that you and Nagato were very close. Would you happen to have any further information regarding Natsumi's past?"

Konan is quiet again before turning to face the pink-haired kunoichi, her cold, silver gaze sharp enough to pierce right through Sakura's jade and her lips in a thin, austere line. "The girl is an experiment. You do not owe her an explanation and I do not owe you one," she carps frostily, impassively. Sakura feels a chill run up her spine at Konan's biting tone, but her gaze does not falter. After a moment, Konan turns back to her food and continues to talk. "Nagato did not have any children of his own, or any living family members. He never met Natsumi and neither have I for that matter. As you mentioned, the Rinnegan is not completely genetic. Even if it were, Nagato was given his Rinnegan as a child."

Sakura can finally breathe, though Konan's explanation has only proven to confuse her even more. " _Given_? By whom?" she inquires, hoping that she doesn't come off too eager.

"You ask too many questions," says Konan icily, this time turning to face the girl, her sharp and filled with disdain. Konan stands still, seemingly studying the kunoichi in front of her before her eyes narrow almost knowingly. "That Uchiha boy is something else. Back for nearly three years now and he has still told you absolutely nothing."

Sakura thinks her heart might stop if another twist is thrown into this conversation. "W…what? Sasuke—" she begins, fishing for words as she tries to organize her thoughts. But Konan has effectively cut her off, looking her up and down in distaste.

"You are quite bold for someone who is merely a hostage. You should proceed with caution. Uchiha Sasuke isn't the only one in his lineage who can be unapologetically cruel when he needs to be. In fact, he is quite mild." Konan did not need to tell her that. She had witnessed today how far Obito will go to attain his goals and of all the rotten things Sasuke has done—including trying to _kill_ her when she went by herself to retrieve him all those years ago—Sakura would like to hope the younger Uchiha would take the moral high ground when it comes to innocent children. Sakura's narrowed eyes follow Konan as she is walked out on for perhaps the third time that day.

* * *

"Pinky's first mission," teases Hidan as he nudges the pink-haired girl playfully to which she sends him a scorching glare and moves out of his immediate reach. "I'm not going to lie, Haruno, I didn't think you'd make it this long, what with that big mouth of yours," he jabs before chuckling loudly, his voice ricocheting off the dark stone walls of the hallways and aggravating the girl even more than she thought humanly possibly.

"Hidan, stop shouting!" berates Kakuzu, ironically, in a loud, demanding voice that rivaled Hidan's. Sakura rolls her eyes as the two bicker. She isn't sure if she can last a few days alone with these two. For them to both be immortal and painstakingly gruesome and evil, the two really have nothing else in common and it shows in the way that they converse with each other. In her time here, she doesn't think she's witnessed even one civil exchange between the two. How in Kami's name did they get _anything_ done?

Sakura frowns, walking a little ahead of the two when Hidan threatens to turn things physical. It seems the grey-haired ninja is in a better mood than he was a couple days ago after speaking with Kyra. Sakura doesn't understand why she feels substantially relieved that he is back to his old, crude, obnoxious self.

When they near the entrance to the meeting room, the two finally quiet down as they enter and stand before Obito. Sakura hasn't seen him since she first met him and as her gaze draws towards his face, she notices a bandage wrapped around his left eye. Her turquoise eyes narrow quizzically— _is it possible he injured himself_ —when she realizes it is the eye containing the Rinnegan that is covered, but is pulled from that train of thought once he begins talking.

"Your mission is simple. It is a package retrieval mission that will help with funding our movement. Feel free to engage in combat, but no killing is necessary," states Obito, handing Kakuzu a scroll with more detail. Sakura finds it odd how eerily similar this moment is to Tsunade assigning the shinobi in Konoha their missions.

"Where will we be retrieving this package?" questions Sakura, hoping that this conversation doesn't end in an argument.

"Sound," replies Obito curtly. "No compromises as promised, Sakura," he says in an almost belittling tone, but Sakura merely nods, choosing to focus on his answer that assures she will not have to fight any allies of the Leaf this time around. "Anything else?" The two men behind her remain silent but the corner of Sakura's mouth twitches uncontrollably in ill-concealed anticipation.

"I wish to see my son," she says blandly, the words tumbling from her mouth before she can catch them and put them decidedly back in their place inside her head. So much for being less confrontational today.

Obito's visible eye narrows treacherously and Sakura feels her knees attempt to buckle under his deafening chakra. "I thought we came to an understanding that you would not, under _any_ circumstances, be in contact with the Leaf," he recalls darkly.

Sakura swallows quietly to wet her dry throat, forcing herself to stop trembling and keep her facial expression in check. "We did," she responds and he raises an expectant eyebrow at her. "No one would know. As someone who has worked very closely with the Hokage, I know how to enter the village without triggering the alarm. My extensive stealth training as an ANBU captain as well as the enhancement of my abilities due to Hidan's jutsu will assure that I will not be caught." The silence that follows is suffocating and it takes everything within Sakura to continue. "I understand the risk I am taking and would never do something I know would put my village in harm's way. You have my word. I just need to make sure he's okay," she pleads, pushing aside her pride.

Obito's lips form a taciturn line. "You are not at your peak strength yet," he says before turning around and making his way back up the stairs to his seat, Konan reverentially standing to the right of it with staid features. "But you will be in the next few weeks. If you are able to successfully complete these missions, I will grant you 30 hours to visit your son." Sakura's heart flutters joyously inside her chest and her face brightens in disbelief. A look of slight amusement crawls onto Obito's face as he is able to witness the momentary crack in the kunoichi's signature poker face and Sakura is forced to reel herself back in. "Be judicious about how much chakra you use and do not get caught. I do not take well to broken promises, Haruno Sakura." Her heart still desires to leap from her chest and her pulse feels as if its going 1,000 times per minute. She hesitates before giving him a single affirmative nod. "Dismissed," he says, and she turns on her heels and walks out of the room swiftly, the two men in tow and her shoulders rigid and legs akin to jelly.

Once she has made it far enough from the meeting room, a large smile spreads across her lips and she has to clench her fists and press her nails harshly into her skin to keep herself from yelping—or Heaven forbid— _crying_ in pure, unadulterated happiness. She cannot believe it. In the back of her mind she worries that this could maybe be a trap, but she doesn't even care. She has the potential to see her son soon and all she has to do is not fuck up. She can do this. She _has_ to do this.

She hears Hidan quicken his pace to reach her and she swiftly neutralizes her facial expression, her cheeks aching dully due to the largest smile she has probably had in the last _year_. She clears her throat and pushes her short hair behind her ears as he looks at her in awe.

"What the actual _fuck_?!" he exclaims and she gives him an odd look. "How long have you two been fucking because I'm willing to take one for the team if I can get as much out of him as you do!" Hidan whines boorishly. Sakura rolls her teal eyes before giving him a deadpan look as she reaches the door to her room.

"I'm not even going to dignify that stupid question with a response," she says dryly, opening the door and walking into her room. "Goodnight, Hidan," she sighs, moving to close the door, but the action is easily halted by Hidan placing his hand against the hard surface.

Sakura glares, shoving at the door with her shoulder but to no avail. It won't budge. "Hidan, move!" she growls, placing her hands on her hips in protest.

A shrewd smirk etches into his lips. "What, you're not going to invite me in? I'm serious; I wanna learn some of those moves," he says silkily, leering at her suggestively. His purple eyes mean to devour her like they've done so many times before, and a blush begins to form against her soft cheeks. "I got a few I think you'd like as well. How 'bout it?" It takes Sakura a second to snap out of her daze, but when she does, she is furious at him for catching her off guard with such a sleazy one-liner.

She huffs indignantly as Hidan chuckles bemusedly at her expense. "You're an idiot!" she spats, this time putting all of her might into her push and effectively closing the door. She slides down against the door as she hears a cheeky "goodnight, Pinky". Her resident babysitter's laughter recedes in volume as he makes his way down the hall.

She props her arms on her knees and leans her head against them, exhaling deeply, her eyes still closed as her recent victory comes to mind. A smile gently caresses her face again. There's no way in _hell_ she'll let Hidan's sweltering gaze ruin her happiness tonight.

 _I'm coming, Narake._

* * *

 **A/N:** Well, there it is! Maybe not as much as excitement as we wanted, but HEY, Sakura is actually happy for once! Not to mention her mission with the other two immortals should turn out quite interesting! I hope to update again in the near future! Please **R &R **so I can gauge if people are still into this story!

Until next time!


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